Les Envoûtements Du Roi
by mcubed35
Summary: Tamaki Suoh, the young ruler of Alsance, is tired of courting. Yet, rumors of a clever princess refusing all of her royal suitors soon reach him. With his five closest advisors, Tamaki travels to the princess's kingdom disguised as an acting troupe's jester. Can the king win Haruhi Fujioka's heart? Or will one of his trusted advisors capture her affection first? [On semi-hiatus]
1. Chapter 1: The King of Alsance

Hi guys! Welcome to my first Ouran fanfiction. I've been writing for a while but I've typically stuck to original fics. Somehow, this plot bunny ended up being very well suited to Ouran's world, so I thought I would give it a shot! I will try to keep to canon details for both the anime and manga as much as possible. However, some character relationships may be changed slightly to eliminate the need for OCs. Constructive criticism and reviews are always appreciated!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Ouran High School Host Club series. This is a work of fanfiction and has been written for fun, not monetary gain.**

* * *

Once, a young king ruled over a small but prosperous kingdom. He was beloved by his people and renowned for his fairness. After all, the young king was clever enough to keep advisors wiser and older than he.

The young king's father served as one of these advisors. The throne of Alsance had always been passed when the current monarch believed the next heir was fit. Preferring to advise his son rather than rule, the former king, Yuzuru Suoh, had passed his crown to his son early. And even though Tamaki Suoh ruled well, Yuzuru was worried.

The young king had yet to take a wife—despite having every eligible lady, duchess and princess at his beck and call. Picnics, extravagant dinners, gatherings in the countryside and grand balls had all been held for the king to find a wife. But, Tamaki had never chosen a bride.

The truth was that Tamaki had grown weary of courting. The court ladies who only wanted to be queen tired him. The detached and insincere princesses that greedily eyed his lands sickened him. The fawning duchesses that praised his most insignificant accomplishments turned his stomach. He couldn't bring himself to choose a bride from these "suitable ladies"—no matter how much it meant to the kingdom.

So, the young king decided to cancel a ball that his elder advisors had foisted on him. Though most of the court's populace was irate, the king's closest friends became worried.

"Milord, you _can't_ just cancel the ball." A red-haired jester bounced in front of Tamaki's throne.

"Yeah, milord, people will be upset! It's bad for morale!" The mirror image of the red-headed jester sprang up behind Tamaki.

The young king sighed. "It may be. And I appreciate your counsel. But I simply can't bring myself to attend. It would be worse if I allowed the plans for the ball to continue and was unable to go."

"But what are we going to do? It's so boring here!" Hikaru complained. "All the parties are 'blah blah blah, let's get the king married.' We can't perform at those! They're no fun!"

A figure stepped out of the shadows and to the right side of the throne. It leveled a mildly threatening gaze on the jesters and said, "Hikaru, Kaoru. Aren't you supposed to be entertaining the king?"

Hikaru and Kaoru shot Kyoya equally apathetic glances, but stepped away to the center of the throne room.

"Kyoya, you're here unusually early," Tamaki commented as he watched Hikaru and Kaoru execute a series of acrobatic flips across the floor of the gold and crimson chamber.

"Castle gossip indicated that you were considering cancelling this week's ball. I thought you might need my counsel," Kyoya replied.

"The ball has already been cancelled. There's no question there. But…" Tamaki leaned his chin on one hand. Kyoya waited patiently for the king to continue.

"What would you do in my place? About picking a bride," Tamaki asked.

"I would do whatever was the most politically expedient for Alsance."

"Which would be?"

"Either marrying a princess of a less than friendly country in a show of diplomatic goodwill or marrying a princess of an uncertain ally to strengthen the alliance."

Tamaki glanced up at the mage, intrigued. "Continue."

"However, due to years of careful policy-making, Alsance currently has no enemies and our alliances are all strong."

Tamaki deflated instantly. "Meaning that a marriage would likely do little for the country's political standing."

"Exactly."

Tamaki leaned his head back on the throne with an aggrieved sigh. "Then there's nothing that could help me reach a decision."

"You did ask what _I_ would do in your stead. I would _advise_ you much differently," Kyoya added.

"So what would you _advise_ me to do?"

"Do what you feel is right. Don't let yourself be swayed by the opinions of others."

Before Tamaki could reply, the heavy, vermillion doors to the throne room slammed open.

"Tama! Tama!" The royal weapons instructor sprinted into the throne room. The short blond rushed past the jesters and to the throne. "A princess! We might have found a princess for you!"

"Exactly how does that help, Honey?" Hikaru asked. "Milord has plenty of princesses."

"This one is different! Reiko told me! She says she has a feeling about it!" Honey skipped around the throne excitedly. Tamaki exchanged a look with Kyoya. The dark mage Honey was apparently involved with didn't give her counsel out lightly. Any advice she offered needed to be taken seriously.

"What did she say, Honey?" Tamaki asked.

"She just got back from a country called Ichio—she's been looking for potion-making ingredients. She said while she was there, she heard a rumor about their princess. She said that the princess had refused all the potential suitors that came to the castle. The princess is apparently sick of courting—just like you, Tama!"

Any other courtier would have been reprimanded for insolence. But, as one of the king's inner circle, Honey received only a scornful glance from Kyoya.

"What is this princess like?" Tamaki asked.

"Reiko said she's apparently shy, but she's really clever. She spends most of her time in the castle's library."

"Does she know anything more than that?" Tamaki pressed for more information.

"She says you'll have to come see her if you want to know more."

Tamaki sprang up from the throne. "Lead the way, Honey!"

"What—milord—you don't know anything about this princess—you're just going to—" Kaoru began.

"If Reiko has a feeling, then I'm hardly going to doubt her!" Tamaki exclaimed as he hurried from the throne room.

This left the mage and the two jesters alone in the room.

"I can't believe him," Hikaru muttered.

"He gets so caught up with these superstitions. Kyoya, why didn't you stop him?" Kaoru directed his question to the mage, who was staring into a small crystal ball.

"He isn't doing anything rash so far. I'll only intervene if he does something that could negatively impact him or the kingdom," Kyoya replied.

The jesters sighed in unison. "Figures…Guess we should follow him…"

As Hikaru and Kaoru made their exits, the person Kyoya had been seeking appeared in the crystal.

"Hmmm…interesting," he murmured. "Perhaps Reiko is right."

The image of a roughly clad commoner scurrying through a crowded street winked out of the crystal as he returned it to the pocket of his robe.


	2. Chapter 2: An Uncommon Princess

Two for one this week! I'll try to post a chapter this week, so chapters may be shorter than a typical novel chapter. That may change as time goes on, but that's up to where the characters lead me.

So, it's on to chapter two-in which we meet a rather unusual princess.

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Ouran High School Host Club series. This is a work of fanfiction and has been written for fun, not monetary gain.**

* * *

In the bustling streets of the kingdom of Ichio, a pickpocket reached into a change purse…and found it empty.

"Sorry—I don't have anything on me. Better luck next time." The thief's target turned with a sheepish grin. This reaction so surprised the thief that he abruptly scampered away. It took a good thirty minutes for the thief to realize that his target, apparently a young man, had been carrying a woman's change purse.

Haruhi Fujioka buttoned the pocket on her rough wool coat and slipped back into the crowd. She floated along with the stream of humanity, taking in the colorful sights and the cacophony of sounds. The sweet, warm odor of roasting sugared chestnuts wafted past her and she paused, seeking the source as she stepped to one side of the street. She quickly sighted the merchant's booth, but remembered her empty change purse. So, she pulled a scrap of paper and charcoal from her other pocket and noted the five different street locations given for the chestnut merchant. It was hard not to get lost in the maze of alleys that made up Ichio's market. It was even harder to find traders as the booths swapped places almost every day in a chaotic dance. More than enough business flowed through the alleys to support these changeable shops. Only the most loyal customers were given the resources to find their favorite vendors at any given time. At least this seller had provided probable locations.

Haruhi attempted to edge into the teeming throng again. But, like any other crowded city, someone else had plans that were apparently more important than hers.

"Move it!" Someone snarled as they shoved her to one side. She stumbled forward a few sprawling steps. As she recovered, one hand went to her cap and patted it uneasily. She felt sure that her long hair would come undone from its pins and flow out from under her cap.

 _'I've got to be more careful,_ ' she thought. ' _If someone recognizes me here, I'll have to face Yuko…and Dad.'_

For any other girl in Ichio, posing as a boy presented a number of obstacles. Such disguises were anything but the norm and might have even been considered taboo. And for the kingdom's princess—the sole heir of the Fujioka family—the stakes were much higher.

But in spite of the risk, Haruhi donned her disguise to visit the city on a regular basis and escape her royal existence.

Though she knew she should be grateful, Haruhi had always found life at the castle suffocating. Within the castle walls, she became like one of the porcelain dolls shelved in her childhood nursery. The staff treated her with too much deference. The palace guards didn't dare to look at her. The smallest tasks were whisked from her hands lest she hurt herself.

She absolutely couldn't stand it. After all, she hadn't asked to be born a royal. At that, she hadn't asked to be born a female royal.

As the royal line's sole girl, she grew up under the shadow of a man. Not her father, of course. But her future husband. The man that would one day strip her of her name and her lands and probably everything else she held dear.

Yet, Haruhi's stubbornness wouldn't allow her to succumb to this fate easily. So, she fought the man's shadow as viciously as she could. She summarily refused every suitor brought to her. Her quick wit tripped most of them up. Others succumbed to the wall of polite silence she placed between them. Any straggling survivors deserted when she admitted to outlandish opinions like preferring books over parties and trousers over dresses.

However, these kinds of fights were tiresome. It was easier to be out and about in the city. Out here, she forgot the royal court and became invisible. She could learn about people. She could understand the effects of the laws her father passed. Most importantly, here, she could _do._

Nearby, a clock struck 2:00. The chimes shocked Haruhi from her thoughts and reminded her of an extremely important appointment.

 _'I guess I better get back to the castle,'_ she thought. ' _I don't want to think about what's going to happen if I'm late to my fitting!"_

Haruhi hurried back to the castle. She paused outside the southeastern wall and waited for the clock to chime 2:15. The palace guard should be changing now. It might have only be a few minutes, but it would allow her to sneak in unnoticed.

Carefully, Haruhi wriggled through a small hole in the wall that she used for her city visits. She emerged in one of the castle's verdant courtyards. Seeing no one around, she eased and began walking to the door leading to the servant's quarters.

She never reached the door.

"You! Stop!" someone barked. Haruhi's blood ran cold as she spun about. Three guards approached her, weapons drawn. How had this happened? Had the guard's schedule changed? She had never been caught!

"You know that commoners aren't allowed within the castle walls! How did you get in here?" the nearest guard bellowed. Haruhi backed against the nearest wall, feeling the rough stone against her shoulders.

"There—there was a hole in the wall—I swear I didn't know where it led!"

"Oh really? Then why have you been spotted here on three other occasions? And don't tell me you're one of the servants. I know every face in this castle."

"Ah—er—"

What's your name, boy?"

"Um—uh—" Haruhi scrambled for a name—a boy's name. "Haruki Fujimoto."

"Well, Haruki—congratulations. You're under arrest."

#

The early autumn sun had dipped in the sky and Haruhi was still locked in the castle's prison. She thought about removing her cap and showcasing her true identity. But, such an act could cause problems for the guards who had arrested her. And then the news would inevitably reach Yuko, who would tell Ranka, who would then summon Haruhi to his chambers to lecture her on the responsibilities of a princess. Faced with that potential, Haruhi preferred to wait things out a little longer.

Her patience was soon rewarded when a light step tapped down the stone stairs.

"You're holding a Haruki Fujimoto?" A young woman's voice inquired. Recognition, followed by relief, flooded Haruhi instantly.

"Yes miss. He was found trespassing on the castle grounds," one of the guards replied.

"You're to release him at once."

"Wha—what? We can't simply release him—he's broken the law!"

Paper smacked down onto wood. Haruhi imagined the guard's spindly wooden desk wobbling from the force of the blow.

"I have an order from Princess Fujioka that he be released! Now unlock that cell and let him out!" the woman's voice commanded.

"Absolutely miss!"

Haruhi jumped to her feet as jingling keys approached her cell. The lily-faced guard scrambled to find the right key—trying each with shaky hands. Finally, one of the keys fit and the cell's lock grated open. Haruhi stepped out of the cell and looked to her rescuer.

The young woman wore a simple navy silk dress that had only become fashionable within the last two weeks for daily wear. Her cheeks and lips had been painted with rouge and she wore a silk beauty spot near the corner of her left eye.

"Her Royal Highness would like to see you. Come with me." she commanded.

Haruhi ducked her head in due deference and followed the young woman up the stairs and out of the prison.

As soon as they were alone in the corridors of the castle, the young woman whirled around.

"What were you thinking?" she demanded.

"Sorry Mei. Someone saw me sneaking back in and told the guards," Haruhi said.

Mei harrumphed. "You're lucky I got worried when you missed your fitting."

"I know—I do owe you for this."

"You more than owe me. Haruhi, I can't keep covering for you like this. You've got to stop going out there so much."

"What do you want me to do? Stay cooped up here?" Both girls abruptly hushed as a footman walked past them. The footman shot Mei a curious glance.

"The princess wishes to see him," Mei replied. This removed any suspicion from the footman's gaze and he strode down the hall without a second look.

"Can you at least try to act like a commoner until we get to your room?" Mei asked. Haruhi slumped and fell in behind her lady-in-waiting in an attempt to look servile. They continued up to princess's chambers in silence.

"I can't stay in the castle all the time. I'm never going to understand how to rule if I don't see the outside world," Haruhi declared once they entered her rooms.

"But if you get caught, you may never be in a position _to rule_ ," Mei argued.

At this, Haruhi sighed, sinking down onto a nearby settee.

Mei winced and bit her lip. "I'm sorry—that was harsh."

"But you're right," Haruhi mumbled, pulling her cap off. She began plucking pins from her hair. "Yuko thinks I can't rule the kingdom by myself and Dad believes her. I can't fight them both."

"The king may come around eventually. You just have to be patient." Mei took the pins from Haruhi and set them aside. She put her hands on Haruhi's shoulders. "But I suppose we need to get you ready. We have a few guests at dinner tonight."

Haruhi groaned. "Another suitor…Fantastic."


	3. Chapter 3: The Mirror of the Sorceress

Hi guys! I'm back pretty early with this week's chapter! It's been great to see the enthusiasm that's been generated so far. Until I am absolutely swamped with reviews, I'll be replying to reviewer's comments individually. Here they are:

 **buddypumpkin:** Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this week's chapter!

Please feel free to review-I'm open to constructive critiques and any commentary!

Now, I've decided that for consistency's sake, I'll be separating each chapter by kingdom rather than by character perspective. So, next week will be another two for one chapter post. If everything goes as planned, I should be posting the first chapter around Tuesday and the second chapter around Friday. If there's a change in the schedule, I'll update it here.

So, onto the next chapter-in which a sorceress allows the young king a glimpse of Ichio's princess.

And as always, the disclaimer:

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Ouran High School Host Club series. This is a work of fanfiction and has been written for fun, not monetary gain.**

* * *

"Well, Reiko, what do you see?" Honey asked, prancing impatiently around Reiko.

"I can't tell you if you keep distracting me with that fidgeting," Reiko replied in solemn monotone.

As usual, Tamaki's enthusiasm resulted in unexpected consequences. The king's retinue had arrived at Reiko's cottage in the woods several hours earlier and found it empty. So, they waited. Eventually, they were joined by Mori, the taciturn captain of the royal guard. After only a few moments of Mori's presence, a variety of woodland creatures crept out of the forest to visit. This came as no surprise to the others who had seen scenes like this many times before.

Reiko returned shortly before sunset and opened her cottage wordlessly. Before Tamaki could state the reason for their visit, Reiko cut him off with a brief reply:

"I know."

Now, they sat around a small table covered with a colorful patchwork of silk scraps. Reiko peered into a silver mirror affixed to a spindly metal arm that allowed the mirror to pivot, spin and turn. An incoherent mumble spilled from her lips as she gestured over the mirror. Her guests sat in expectant silence. Even Honey had settled down to allow the sorceress to concentrate.

Reiko made one final gesture over the mirror before nodding and sitting back.

"Look." she directed.

Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru and Honey leaned over the mirror. Instead of their reflections, they saw an image of a silver and blue throne room. A young woman dressed in a gown of rose silk sat in a chair to one side of the throne. She wore a white powdered wig pulled into a high bouffant and her face had been painted with white powder and heavy rouge.

"That's the princess?" Hikaru asked skeptically. "she doesn't look like she's shy."

Reiko looked back into the mirror and sighed. She adjusted the mirror—pivoting it slightly to the right. As she did, the scene panned left across the throne room to an ornate silver-wrought throne and a smaller silver chair backed with cream-colored cushions. Another young woman sat in the silver chair. Her dark topaz eyes were downcast as she toyed with the lavender satin ribbons on her dress. Chestnut curls cascaded down around her unpainted face.

"That's her," Reiko asserted.

"That's more like it," Kaoru said. "what do you think, milord?"

Tamaki's expression had turned pensive as he gazed at the princess. He lost himself in her eyes, trying to read the emotions in them. She seemed resigned, but was there a glimmer of sadness there? He watched as the red-haired king beside her spoke animatedly to an unseen guest. Tamaki wished he could hear what the king was saying. The princess sighed and he caught the shimmer of sadness in her eyes again.

From a history lesson long ago, Tamaki vaguely remembered that the king's name was Ryoji Fujioka. Alsance was a rather distant neighbor to Ichio—connected to the other kingdom by a narrow isthmus crossing the calm sea of Lucentia. But the kingdom of Ichio kept strictly to itself and little news was ever heard of it. Tamaki hadn't even heard the name of its princess.

He glanced back to the scene in the mirror. Something seemed wrong about the throne room. Perplexed, he tilted the mirror back and forth. Then it hit him.

The queen. Where was she? She should have been sitting in a throne beside Ryoji. But Tamaki didn't see an empty throne. It couldn't have been a divorce—a royal divorce would have been the scandal of the century. Did Ryoji rule separately from his queen in some odd arrangement? Surely if Ichio's queen had passed, news would have reached his family. Surely he would remember something like that.

"Tama! Hey Tama!"

Honey's persistent call dragged Tamaki from his preoccupation. "Sorry—what?"

"Oh great—milord is already in love with the princess," Hikaru complained.

"No, I was trying to remember—oh never mind. Honey, what were you saying?"

"I think she seems different! What do you think?" Honey bobbed up and down on his toes.

"She certainly seems unique," Tamaki mused. "Reiko, you said you had a feeling—"

"I can't give you anything more than that." Reiko interrupted. "It's simply a feeling of Fate. The princess is entangled with your court somehow."

"Do you know the princess's name?" Kaoru asked.

"Haruhi."

"That's a nice name!" Honey exclaimed. "Well Tama? Do you think you want to meet her?"

"It might be worth it. After all, what do I have to lose?" the young king answered with a shrug. Part of his mind was still wondering about Ichio's queen.

"Tamaki, you might want to consider the practical end of such a venture. Considering the level of political seclusion surrounding Ichio, the king would not likely be amenable to traveling here. In that case, you would have to travel to Ichio," Kyoya said.

"That's fine." Tamaki waved a hand dismissively. "The journey can't be that far. Father can take over as regent in my absence. The royal coach would be more than capable—"

"No." The single word cut through more efficiently than a blade. Stunned, the king and his company turned to Reiko in unison.

"If you travel to Ichio as the king of Alsance, you will fail before entering the palace gates. She will not be won over by a royal. If you wish to pursue her, you must do it without the aid of your crown or title," Reiko stated.

"How is he supposed to do that?" Hikaru asked.

"He'll be clueless. You're taking away most of his advantage by removing his title," Kaoru added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tamaki demanded.

"I believe Kaoru is rather artlessly stating that you have been raised a prince and are now a king. Do you even know how to act like a commoner?" Kyoya asked.

"Of course I can!" Tamaki shot back.

"I bet you could do it, Tama!" Honey cheered.

"Yeah," Mori added.

"But milord, if you're acting like a commoner, how do you plan to gain audience with Ichio's princess? It's not like royals just talk to whatever commoner traipses in the door," Hikaru said.

A dark cloud threatened to blacken Tamaki's mood, but he forced it away. "That's just something I'll have to think about. There's always a way. Otherwise, Reiko wouldn't have a feeling, right?" Tamaki turned imploringly to the sorceress. She nodded with a shrug.

"We'll help you think of ideas, Tama!" Honey offered.

Tamaki grinned. "Thank you, Honey."

The young king offered Reiko a slight bow. "Reiko—thank you. This wouldn't have been possible without your help."

"Thank me once the journey is over, Majesty," Reiko replied. "I will ask the gods to smile on your endeavor."

With that uncertain blessing, the young men departed for the castle, tossing ideas back and forth as they wandered.

#

Kyoya was very used to working late hours. Often, nights found him poring over alchemical texts and executing delicate magical experiments until the wee hours of the morning. But, Kyoya also knew that he was a solitary night-owl in the castle as none of the other occupants slept until well past noon.

Hence, the frantic knock that rattled his door at almost three in the morning surprised him. The guest surprised him even more.

"Kyoya, I have it!" Tamaki's blue eyes danced with sleep-deprived mania.

"Have what?" Kyoya asked, stepping aside to allow his king into his laboratory.

"The way we'll get into Ichio's royal court!"

"Yes?"

"We'll pose as a traveling troupe of actors!"

As was typical with most of Tamaki's ideas, Kyoya's gut reaction was to scoff and dismiss it. The ensuing scene would be a familiar one. Once Tamaki petulantly wheedled on about "whyyy didn't he think it would work?", Kyoya would tear the idea apart with cool, emotionless logic. This had resulted in a fair share of fights between the two. Of course, Kyoya's levelheadedness typically won out in the end.

But, shortly after his gut reaction, Kyoya paused and thought. And for once, he rejected his initial reply.

After all, only certain groups of individuals were allowed into a castle. Typically, these individuals included courtiers of the royal family, servants and diplomats from other countries. However, there was a tiny segment of the palace population that came and went as they pleased. That segment? Entertainers and artists.

Kyoya ran through the past week. The Suoh family had been visited by no less than four bards, three painters, two poets, a playwright and a fictionist. The bards had been allowed to perform, then were sent on their way with appropriate payment. Only one of the painters had caught Tamaki's eye and thus received patronage. The writers had fared much better than their visually inclined counterparts. The fictionist was currently set up in a comfortable suite of rooms near the library to pen a sweeping tale of adventure, the playwright had been given free reign over dramatic performances and the poets had both been encouraged to wander about the castle gardens as long as they wished.

But royal patronage only continued for the talents that were willing to entertain or produce for their patron. Kyoya betted that only the fictionist would last more than two weeks. He had seen the cat-like grin of determination that had stretched across the author's face at the sight of the library. Such looks generally said: "I do believe I like it here and I will work myself into the grave before I allow you to boot me out." A rare trait. But quite a useful one.

So, Tamaki's plan actually seemed sound…provided they could both capture King Ryoji's interest and keep it.

"The idea has potential. However, what if Ryoji rejects the troupe after a single performance?" Kyoya asked.

Tamaki rocked back, obviously stunned that his idea hadn't been instantly torn apart. After recovering from the shock, he said, "Then we'll figure out another way into the court. But I know he won't."

"What makes you assume that?"

"The people who will make up the troupe, of course. Between Hikaru and Kaoru's acrobatic abilities, Mori and Honey's unparalleled knowledge of duels and swordsmanship and your talent for illusions and other effects, there's no reason for him to reject us."

"And where does your ability lie?"

'With my good looks and showmanship, of course!" Tamaki exclaimed.

Kyoya smirked, but he knew Tamaki's charisma could certainly aid them in this hare-brained scheme.

"What about the princess? You can't expect to be allowed to fraternize with her freely as a lowly performer."

"I'll figure that out on the way to Ichio. The journey is likely to take a few weeks or so. I will have plenty of time to think. But I suppose before then I have to make plans! I need to tell father!" Tamaki marched for the door.

"Majesty."

Tamaki paused at the use of his title. Kyoya typically reserved it only for ironic use. "Yes?"

"It's three in the morning."

Tamaki stopped. "So it is."

Kyoya allowed the unimpressed silence to speak for him.

"I suppose I should get some sleep," Tamaki said finally.

"Yes, Majesty. I believe you should."

Kyoya watched his overly-enthusiastic king slink out of the lab before returning to his experiments.

* * *

Stay tuned for next week's chapters! High points include Haruhi meeting a certain dark duke with a penchant for black magic and the appearance of a very enthusiastic fan of Kyoya's...


	4. Chapter 4: The Dark Duke

Hi guys!

Well, it has been a little over a week and the story already has eleven followers! In my opinion, that's huge news! Thank you everyone that's followed so far!

As I did in the last chapter posted, I'd like to respond to reviews:

 **dreamingawake94** : Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying it.

I'd also like to give shoutouts to the Tumblr blogs cute-commoner, ask-the-ouranhosts, ask-the-lady-manager and ouran-imagine for posting links to this fanfic. On top of this, I received very positive reviews from ask-theouranhosts, cute-commoner and ouran-imagine that I'm incredibly grateful for. These reviews have been a great source of encouragement.

To all of my anonymous readers: I see you guys in the view and visitors counts. It makes me happy and I hope you keep coming back!

Seeing interest like this really keeps me going. I've gotten through writing another three chapters that follow this chapter and I definitely credit all of the support and interest I'm getting for that productivity. I promise I'll try to keep from fawning over my readers too much in the future, but I do want you guys to know that your support does not go unnoticed!

Now, in my opinion, this is a fairly short chapter. But, to keep consistent with my per-kingdom chapter splits, it's necessary. Due to the shorter length of this chapter, I will be posting another within the next two or three days.

So, without further ado, let's get onto the next chapter-in which Haruhi is summoned by a mysterious dark duke.

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Ouran High School Host Club series. This is a work of fanfiction and has been written for fun, not monetary gain.**

* * *

Haruhi waited a week before visiting the courtyard she had been arrested in again. Even though she went as Princess Haruhi rather than the commoner Haruki Fujimoto, she was still worried that someone might connect the two.

But, a surprise awaited her after she meandered about the courtyard's garden. She passed by the wall she used to escape to the city and stopped.

The hole she usually crept through had been filled in. The mortar had hardly dried between the stones.

For a moment, she stood there, stunned.

"Highness, are you alright?" A gardener passing by asked.

"Oh, yes. This stone looks new. Was there a hole there?" she asked, pointing to the wall.

"There was. Some commoner snuck into the palace last week. One of the guards finally found where he came in and had it filled in," the gardener replied.

"Right, of course. Thank you," Haruhi said. The gardener offered a slight bow then ambled across the courtyard to trim back a hedge shaped like a swan.

Haruhi sank down on a nearby stone bench. She couldn't believe it. Her one escape route from the castle was gone. It had taken months to find that hole. What could she do now?

After a few minutes, she felt eyes on her. She raised her head and saw a dark figure retreating from one of the windows.

 _"I wonder who that was…"_

Haruhi thought about her situation for a while longer. There had to be another way out of the castle. She would just have to be patient and observant and careful. In the meantime, she could always spend time with Mei. The other girl's company was always a relief from her royal life. And there was always the library…

"Highness! Your Highness!" a high voice chirped. Haruhi glanced up to see Kirimi, her junior lady-in-waiting, rushing across the courtyard.

"What is it, Kirimi?"

"My big brother wants to see you. He said he'd like you to come to the library as soon as possible," Kirimi said.

" _The library? That's a strange coincidence,_ " Haruhi thought.

"Thank you Kirimi," she said, rising from the bench. "I'll go see him now."

Haruhi left the courtyard and headed for the peaceful quiet of the library. She found Duke of Tokare province lounging at a table well within the shadows. The dark, hooded cape he typically wore in the sun was draped back over his shoulders, revealing his angular features and pale blonde hair.

"Highness," he said with a nod.

"Nekozawa," Haruhi replied as she sat across from him.

"I was terribly sorry to hear of Haruki Fujimoto's arrest. I trust he's doing well?" Nekozawa inquired.

Haruhi stiffened. "What do you know about that arrest?"

"Please, no need to be defensive, Your Highness!" He leaned across the table and said in a conspiratorial whisper, "Who do you think told Mei of your arrest?"

"What? You did?"

"Of course. I may have sworn fealty to the king, but my loyalty lies with you. After all, you fulfilled one of my little sister's dreams by taking her on as your lady in waiting."

"It was nothing," Haruhi protested.

"Perhaps to you. But Kirimi's happiness means everything to me."

Haruhi's next questions came quickly. "How did you know I had been arrested? Do you know who alerted the guards?"

"I watched it myself from the courtyard window. And unfortunately, I do not. I've endeavored to find out, but that's been of no avail."

Haruhi sighed. "Well, not that it matters now."

"Your Highness, if there is anything I can do for you, I would be glad to."

"I'm afraid there's nothing you can do, Nekozawa. I couldn't expect you to find another way out of the castle."

"Actually, I believe I could."

Haruhi blinked and straightened. "Really? How?"

"I could speak to the castle cats. If anyone could find a way out of the castle, they could," Nekozawa answered.

Haruhi tried not to grimace. She had forgotten about Nekozawa's obsession with dark magic. Of course she couldn't _actually_ expect him to find another way out.

"Well, if you don't think it would be too difficult, I would be grateful," Haruhi said diplomatically. There was no reason to offend him. Who knew? Maybe there really was something to his magic and he _would_ find another way out.

"As you wish, Highness. I will send Kirimi to you when I have news," Nekozawa declared, pulling the hood of his cape over his head.

With a whirl of the black cloak, he disappeared.

* * *

Be on the lookout within the next couple of days for the next chapter! The troupe from Alsance will be getting on the road...joined by a rather enthusiastic, but uninvited, guest.


	5. Chapter 5: An Uninvited Traveler

Hi again everyone!

As promised, here is the follow up chapter after Friday's chapter post. Per usual, I want to take a couple of seconds for review responses:

 **Hikaru Kaoru plus Haruhi:** So glad to hear that you're interested! I hope you're just as happy with this chapter!

I love responding to readers and answering questions, so please, if you have any questions or concerns, send them in!

Now, for the next chapter-in which the troupe from Alsance encounters an uninvited guest.

* * *

"Well, Kyoya, are we ready to depart?" Tamaki brought his golden stallion to stand next to the mage's black steed.

Kyoya glanced over the wagon that had been chosen for the troupe. They had been well-outfitted for the journey and the carthorse was a hardy, well-tempered mare. Mori, undoubtedly the mare's favorite, had offered to drive the wagon. Thus, Honey had taken the royal captain's silver charger. The twins rode identical roan horses that stood patiently in the field ahead of the wagon.

Kyoya took one last look at his task list. Everything had been completed. "I believe we're ready."

But before they could set out, a nearby cry interrupted them.

"Kyoya! Kyoya! My dearest Kyoya!" A white horse galloped toward them at full speed.

"Well…this is an unforeseen issue," Kyoya stated.

The white horse's rider stopped the horse just before the king and his mage.

"Majesty!" The young lady exclaimed with as much of a curtsey as she could manage from her sidesaddle position. "I came as soon as I heard you were leaving with my Kyoya."

"Ah, Renge. It's good to see you," Tamaki said with a sunny smile that he reserved for all of his courtiers who were outside his inner circle.

"Oh, Majesty, where are you headed? Will Kyoya be away from me for long?" Renge asked.

"I'm afraid it could be a number of weeks before he's able to return," Tamaki replied.

"Weeks?" Renge echoed, her eyes filling with tears as she looked to Kyoya. "Oh, but—"

She slipped off of her horse and stood staring up at them both. "What am I supposed to do while you're gone?"

By this time, Renge's antics had attracted Hikaru and Kaoru's attention. They stopped their roan steeds nearby.

"Hey, Renge—what kind of get-up is that?" Kaoru asked, gesturing to the red velvet dress and colorful ribbons that had been braided into her hair like a crown.

Renge's eyes sparkled as she turned to them. Tamaki and Kyoya knew the twins had sparked yet another drawn out tirade about some figure from current popular entertainment.

"Oh isn't it obvious? I'm Giulietta! From the great bard's play about the star-crossed lovers, Romulus and Giulietta!" Renge exclaimed, clasping her hands together in a wistful gesture. "It's such a terribly tragic romance! If only Giulietta had woken sooner! She could have saved her beloved Romulus from the dagger! And herself from the poisoned kiss!"

"What are you talking about?" Hikaru asked.

"That's not what happened—did you even watch the play?" Kaoru questioned.

At this, Renge's sweet and wistful ploy gave way to indignation. "Yes, of course I watched the play! What are you insinuating? I've seen multiple performances!"

"You must not have paid much attention," Kaoru said.

"You're out of fashion by almost two hundred years by wearing that too," Hikaru said.

"That's when the play is set! I'm being historically accurate!"

As the twins continued to needle the irritated noblewoman, Tamaki leaned over to Kyoya.

"I thought you had taken care of this a while ago," Tamaki said, nodding towards Kyoya's one woman fan club.

"Renge is the daughter of a rather important duke. Even though I do find her attentions mildly off-putting and annoying, I thought it would be best to keep the peace in your court. Besides, I'm certain it's just a phase," Kyoya replied.

"That's lasted for almost a year?" Tamaki asked dryly.

"What can I say? She's persistent."

Renge had finally had enough of the twin's torture. She whirled on Tamaki and Kyoya. "Where are you even going dressed like a bunch of commoners, anyway?" she demanded. "Why aren't you taking the royal coach? Are you hiding something from your court?"

Tamaki, ever the open book, paled. He stammered, "We—well—it's—um—"

"What are you doing, Majesty? Are you running away from your responsibilities here in Alsance? Do I even need to call you Your Majesty?"

Stung and stunned, Tamaki could only manage a soft whimper in response.

"Renge," Kyoya started. "even if the king is wearing the clothes of a commoner, he is still your king. I would advise against such strong language."

Renge stamped a foot. "Then what is going on? The court has been unsettled for weeks because our monarch has _still_ yet to chose a bride and now he's journeying off somewhere in secret. I'm worried—all the court is worried!"

Kyoya began to respond, but Tamaki, managing to recover, held up a hand.

"It's all right, Kyoya. I think we can tell her," the king said. He fixed Renge with a careful glance. "You must keep this a secret. _No one_ else can know."

"Of course, Majesty!"

"We're going to the kingdom of Ichio. It's rumored that Ichio's princess is as sick of courting as I am. I'm going to try to win her favor. But, as she has rejected any royal suitors, I must disguise myself as a commoner to even have a chance with her."

Renge simply stared. Tamaki braced for her response.

"That's…That's… _so romantic!_ " The last words ended in a high pitched squeal that could have shattered glass. "Oh! I can see it now! It's like a fairytale! The brave king leaves behind his crown in order to woo the princess that is his one true love!"

"Uh—no one said the princess will fall in love with milord," Kaoru began.

Renge ignored him. "The princess pretends to be blind to her suitor's affections, but she's been struck by the arrow of love from the moment she laid eyes upon this humble commoner! But knowing her father would disapprove of such a match, she meets her beloved in secret!"

Renge's fantasy would have continued further, but Kyoya cut her off. "Unfortunately, Renge, for such a thing to occur, the king must be able to leave Alsance."

"Take me with you. Majesty!" Renge exclaimed. "I have to see this for myself!"

Tamaki exchanged a glance with Kyoya, who shrugged.

"Well…" Tamaki trailed off.

"Milord, you can't let her come with us! She's a girl!" Hikaru blurted out.

Renge let out a hurt cry. "Oh, but—"

"Hikaru, that's enough! I won't hear such intolerance from one of my courtiers," Tamaki asserted. Abashed, Hikaru bowed his head and went silent.

"Renge, I will admit that I have reservations about inviting you to come with us," Tamaki said.

"Do you think I'd be a burden because I'm a girl? Is that what you're worried about?"

"I'm worried for all of us. If we run into enough trouble, even Mori and Honey may find themselves outnumbered," Tamaki explained. "Traveling as commoners may pose dangers that we would have been protected from otherwise."

"So…so you mean you're forbidding me to go?" Renge asked. The tears rose in her eyes again.

Tamaki sighed. "No. I relinquished my power to my father this morning. I can't forbid you to do anything. But, I will ask this: do you think there is a role you could fulfill with our acting troupe? Putting yourself in danger if you're only to be a bystander seems foolish."

'You're…going as an acting troupe?"

"It's likely the only way to be received by Ichio's royal court. We're not sure what kind yet—"

"I CAN BE YOUR COSTUME DESIGNER!" Renge burst out. Tamaki looked to Kyoya for his judgement.

The mage adjusted his glasses with one finger and said, "I'm sure she would be more than capable. You've seen the designs she creates for herself. I think I've seen a new one every day for the past two weeks."

"We would need the costumes very quickly. Do you think you could manage that for a group of five? Kyoya will be backstage and won't need a costume of course," Tamaki said.

"Sure I can!" Renge exclaimed with a beaming smile. "I'll just have to go get my things!"

"Things?" Tamaki echoed politely.

"Of course! My needles and thread and fabric and buttons and—oh! My sewing machine!"

"A sewing machine? What's that?" Kaoru asked.

"It's this wonderful new device the royal inventor came up with! It makes stitches with only the push of a pedal! Now, of course, it's rather large and a bit heavy, but the royal inventor assured me that it's a device a hundred years ahead of its time!"

As the newest member of the troupe rambled on, Tamaki's smile deteriorated.

Kyoya cast a cursory glance in the back of the wagon. "I suppose it's a good thing we have such a sturdy cart."

* * *

The next chapter should be posted Friday or Saturday this week. Next chapter's hijinks include the training of a jester, the appearance of a masked bandit, and a dramatic rescue. Be on the lookout!


	6. Chapter 6: The Jester and the Bandit

Hi guys!

So I would have had this posted yesterday, but I've been on vacation and have been distracted by the world of a certain animated talking mouse. But, I should be back on schedule now!

Of course, first order of business is review responses!

 **Hikaru Kaoru plus Haruhi** : Yes! I intended for her to be the annoying one. And there is _always_ one in every group. It's practically a requirement for a quest!

I've also opened up guest reviews this week, so for my readers without accounts, please feel free to post reviews too! Questions, comments and concerns are always appreciated. I'd love to know what you guys are thinking!

Now, for update news: I should have the next chapter posted by Tuesday or Wednesday. I think about every four or five days seems like a good post rate. But again, if you have an opinion here, please let me know!

Finally, let's get to the chapter-in which a king learns to jest and the identity of a masked bandit is revealed!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Ouran High School Host Club series. This is a work of fanfiction and has been written for fun, not monetary gain.**

* * *

The sweet tang of salt air drifted to the troupe from Alsance far before the sea of Lucentia came into view. Tamaki inhaled the familiar scent with a contented sigh before turning his attention back to the discussion at hand.

"Exactly what kind of acting troupe are we going to be? It's not like we're world renowned performers of the great bard's plays," Kaoru said. The troupe had been traveling for several days through the meadows and forests of Alsance. To pass the time, they had been planning for their arrival in Ichio. But the question of _what_ the troupe was to perform was still at hand.

"You do need to decide," Renge called from her place near the back of the cart. "I can make costumes quickly, but I need to know what they're for!"

"Milord, do you have any ideas?" Kaoru asked.

"Hmmm…" Tamaki's gaze unfocused as his thought. A hazy memory edged forward. He remembered a day he spent with his mother in the little seaside town of Caldeaux. A group of actors had set up in the main street and performed in a whirl of acrobatics and buffoonery.

"What about a _commedia dell'arte_ troupe?" Tamaki suggested.

"That might work," Hikaru said.

Renge zoomed to the front of the group, her horse carefully picking through the roots and branches on the forest road.

"Of course it works!" She cried. "It's perfect! The delicately crafted masks disguising the identities of the actors, the bright and complex costumes—who wouldn't want to see a _commedia_ troupe perform?"

"But Renge—what roles would we play?" Honey chimed in.

"That's easy! Hikaru and Kaoru can play the love struck _inamorata_ or even crotchety _Pantalone_ or the scheming _Il'Dottore._ Mori's role will of course be the boastful _Il Capitano_ and Honey can play the childish _Pedrolino._ And of course, the king will play _Arlecchino,_ " Renge said.

"What? You can't have the king play a jester! We're the jesters of Alsance's royal court!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"But Hikaru, it actually would make sense. We were able to get close to milord because we were his jesters. Fools and buffoons always have the most permission to overstep lines with royals. If Majesty plays _Arlecchino_ , then he'll have more leeway," Kaoru said.

"Pfft—milord, do you think you'd be able to manage acting so foolish?" Hikaru asked.

"Of course! I believe I could play a fool well," Tamaki said.

Behind him, Kyoya snorted. "In that case, he could just be himself," the mage muttered under his breath.

"But what about the acrobatics?" Hikaru argued.

"We'll teach milord," Kaoru said simply.

Hikaru cast a skeptical glance at Tamaki, who smiled and shrugged.

When they reached the snowy white shores of Lucentia, they made camp. Mori ventured into the woods for materials to make a campfire. Renge descended on her costume work with delirious gusto and Hikaru and Kaoru began coaching their king on the art of buffoonery.

"No, milord! Lighter! You have to sail through the air!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"Up on your toes! Your actions aren't exaggerated enough!" Hikaru critiqued.

Tamaki, who ended up standing like a ballerina on pointe in spite of his bare feet, did eventually manage to gain some competence with rapid yet fluid movements required of his character. His interest in sleights of hand proved to be useful as well.

"You can use those in improvisations," Hikaru said. "Audiences love stuff like that."

Tamaki nodded. "I'll keep all of that in mind. Thank you." He glanced around. "Doesn't it seem like Mori's been gone for a while?"

"Hey—let go of me you big lug!" The troupe turned to see Mori emerging from the woods, dragging a masked redheaded man behind him.

"Let me go!" the masked man cried.

Mori brought the masked man to stand in front of Tamaki and Kyoya, who stood near the tideline. "I found him spying," Mori stated.

"I wasn't spying! Let go!" The masked man struggled uselessly against Mori's strong grip.

"Then what were you doing?" Tamaki asked.

"I was just out for a walk!"

"In a scary mask?" Hikaru asked, considering the theatrical white and red mask.

"Yeah—let's see what you look like without it on," Kaoru said, prying the mask off.

The expression of pure rage that greeted them was far more shocking than the mask.

"GAH! HE'S SCARIER WITHOUT THE MASK ON!" Kaoru and Hikaru yelped.

"Put it back, put it back, put it back!" Tamaki cried.

Yet at this reaction, the redhead's shoulders slumped. "Now do you see why I wear the mask? My face scares everyone." he mumbled.

Hikaru, Kaoru and Tamaki paused their panic for just a moment. They tilted their heads in confusion. "That…bothers you?"

"Now will ya let me go?" the redhead asked. "I was just looking for my friend."

"We would do that, but we need to know who you are first," Kyoya said.

"My name is Ritsu Kasanoda."

"Like Kasanoda the bandit? The one they call Crimson Kasanoda?" Honey asked.

Kasanoda hung his head. "That's my dad you're thinking of. He's a big shot…unlike me."

"Well, Kasanoda, there are a few more things we need to establish before we can let you go. But, I see no reason why we can't conduct the interview under more civil terms—if you won't run away, of course," Kyoya said.

"Sure," Kasanoda muttered. With that, Mori released him.

"First, how long have you been following us, Mr. Kasanoda?" Kyoya asked. "And don't try to lie. I've noticed someone sneaking around in the forest for the past two days."

"Look, no one ever comes through this section of the forest. My men and I were curious."

"Did you plan on robbing us?"

"Of course not! It doesn't look like you'd be worth robbing anyway."

"So have you been close enough to hear our conversations?" Kyoya inquired.

"No. What are you guys, anyway? An acting troupe?"

"That's exactly what we are!" Tamaki proclaimed.

"Then you really wouldn't have been worth robbing," Kasanoda replied dryly.

"Why are you here now then?" Hikaru asked.

"I told you—I'm looking for a friend. Whenever we figured out you weren't worth following, I told my men to stay back at our base camp. But, for some weird reason, one of them decided to keep following you. I've been trying to find him."

"What does he look like?" Honey asked.

"Taller than me…Kinda sandy hair—it's long so he usually ties it back with a ribbon. He's also got a scar on his cheek," Kasanoda said.

"I think I saw him in the woods," Mori said.

"Where was he headed?" Tamaki asked.

"Towards the cliffs."

As if on cue, a shout of terror split the air. "HELP!"

The group spun about to see a figure hanging from the edge of one of the cliffs that hung out over the sea.

"Tetsuya!" Kasanoda yelled. They watched in horror as the figure scrambled for purchase on the cliff…and lost his grip. He tumbled through the air and plunged into the waves.

"Somebody help him—he can't swim!" Kasanoda exclaimed.

Without a thought, Tamaki stripped off his tunic and dove into the waves.

"Milord!" the twins chorused.

"Majesty!" Honey cried out.

But, Tamaki wasn't listening. He cut through the water with ease, swimming out to the cliffs. He found a barely conscious Tetsuya clinging to a rock at the base of the cliff. Tamaki carefully slipped the victim from the rock and began towing him back to shore.

The others crowded the beach as Tamaki approached.

"I don't think he's breathing," Tamaki announced when he dragged the limp figure onto the sand. Kyoya knelt beside Tetsuya and made a rapid gestures in the air above the victim that ended in a hammer-like motion. Instantly, Tetsuya began coughing up seawater. Kasanoda pushed the others aside and went to his friend.

"Tetsuya—are you okay?" the bandit asked.

Tetsuya coughed several more times, then nodded. "Yes, young lord…At least I think so…"

"What were you doing out there? How did you end up slipping?" Kasanoda asked.

"The cliff gave way…when I got to the edge," Tetsuya explained. "I thought…I'd be able to see the beach better…See what this group was doing…"

Kasanoda shook his head and stood. In a couple of steps, he reached Tamaki and knelt down.

"You saved one of my men. I cannot repay that debt. I owe you my loyalty." Kasanoda said.

"Um, you don't—" Tamaki started.

"Majesty! Your Majesty!" Renge rushed over to the group from the wagon. "Majesty, are you hurt?"

Kasanoda raised his head to gape at Tamaki. Kyoya sighed and covered his eyes with one hand.

"Ma—majesty?" Kasanoda stammered.

"Well…" Tamaki looked down in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.

Kasanoda's mouth dropped open.

"What?"

* * *

Again, next chapter should be posted around Tuesday or Wednesday. The troupe from Alsance will finally reach the kingdom of Ichio! Be on the lookout!


	7. Chapter 7: The Crossing of the Lucentia

Hi everyone!

In a little less than three weeks, this story is up to twenty-two followers! And that number basically doubled over the past week. I hope everyone is enjoying it so far-thank you all for following!

Yet again, I'd like to do review responses:

 **Miss Chantelle** : I'm so glad the story has caught your interest! I hope this chapter continues that trend!

 **Chalice13** : Thank you so much! It makes me so happy to hear that someone thinks of it as "clever."

 **Jessi . DarkFox** (apologies for the extra spaces-the document manager seems to have a strange issue printing the username without spaces): Oh thank you! I've been aiming to keep it in line with Ouran's general ambience and themes, so "cute" definitely means I've hit that goal. Of course, "well-written" is a huge compliment too!

And as a reminder, anonymous reviews are open. If you have any burning questions, please send them in! Sometimes, the best plot points come from trying to answer reader questions. I'm hoping to eventually incorporate reader polls into writing later chapters, but I'd love to hear your opinions and ideas until then too!

The next update should be around Saturday. Again, I'm trying to post about every four or five days.

Now, let's get to the chapter-in which an oath is made and the troupe crosses the Sea of Lucentia!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Ouran High School Host Club series. This is a work of fanfiction and has been written for fun, not monetary gain.**

* * *

"So…are you going to arrest us?" Tetsuya considered the others from his place by the campfire.

"No. First, we have no proof you've done anything wrong," Kyoya said.

"And second, I'm not acting as the king of Alsance," Tamaki added.

"But—why?" Kasanoda asked.

Tamaki exchanged a glance with Kyoya.

"He knows you're the king. I don't see what more harm can be done," Kyoya said.

"We're going to the kingdom of Ichio," Tamaki said.

"Posing as a bunch of actors?" Kasanoda stared at the king dubiously.

"There's good reason for it," Tamaki replied simply.

Kasanoda groaned and rubbed his face with his hands, obviously thinking. After a while, he said, "Well…A debt is a debt. King or not, you still have my loyalty."

"Bossanova—" Tamaki began.

"It's Kasa—" Tetsuya started to interrupt, but Kasanoda held up a hand. Tetsuya went quiet.

"Bossanova, you don't owe me anything," Tamaki said.

"But I do. If I don't, I've violated the bandit's code of honor. You saved one of my men. It's not a discussion. I owe you," Kasanoda stated. "And in that case, what do you wish me to do?"

Tamaki sighed. He hated it when people felt they owed him something. He had even wanted to skip the swearing of fealty with his court when he had first taken the crown. But tradition was tradition and the court insisted. "I dislike thinking of this as a debt. If you wish, you and your men may come with us to Ichio. The end of our journey lies in the capital city of Shikanai. We could be staying there for a while."

"Tetsuya." Kasanoda fell into his leadership role effortlessly. "Tomorrow morning, return to camp. Pack everything and head for Shikanai. I'll go ahead with this group."

"Yes, young lord," Tetsuya said.

"Do you have an extra horse?" Kasanoda asked.

"Uh…"

"He can have mine," Renge declared. "I won't need it anyway. I'll ride in the wagon so I can work on the costumes."

"Then it's settled. We'll spend the night here and set out to cross the Lucentia in the morning," Tamaki said.

As usual, the twins volunteered for the first shift of night watch and Mori decided to take the second shift. Tetsuya and Kasanoda insisted on taking the final shift that Tamaki and Kyoya would have taken. The twins departed for their post and the others on later shifts went to sleep. Eventually, only Tamaki and Kyoya were left awake.

"Did I make the wrong choice by inviting Kasanoda along? He seems so concerned about his honor. I didn't want to offend him," Tamaki said.

"I think you made the only good decision available to you. Anything else would have offended him. And it's much better to have a bandit in debt to you rather than one whom you've offended."

"I suppose so…" They lapsed into silence again.

"Where did you learn to swim that well?" Kyoya asked suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"Even as the captain of the royal guard, I don't think that Mori knows how to swim well. After all, Lysiens is landlocked and the nearby rivers are calm. Yet what you did today shows a honed ability. Only someone who had lived by the sea for years could have done it."

Tamaki stood with a slight smile. "Now, Kyoya, surely you know the answer to that. Do you really want to make me spell it out?"

Kyoya replied with a noncommittal shrug.

"I'll leave it to you then," Tamaki said. "After all, we have a long journey ahead of us in the morning."

"Of course."

As Tamaki left him by the campfire, Kyoya couldn't help but wonder what made his king so reluctant to talk about the past. The mage knew the "what." Yet still, the answer to "why" evaded him.

#

The troupe set out the next morning shortly after Tetsuya's departure. The road crossing the Lucentia had been built across a narrow strip of land. Yet, the sea had gradually worn away a number of the stones, leaving the edges of the road ragged. The crossing could be dangerous as well if the tide came in high enough. But Kyoya assured them that they should be well across the isthmus before the tide even began to turn.

"So, Bossanova, what's the story with the mask?" Kaoru asked, trying to be polite to the new traveler.

"It's Kasanoda."

"So what about the mask?" Hikaru prompted.

"Eh, I just took to wearing it when I figured out it was less scary than my face," Kasanoda said. "I don't like being this way. People take one look at me and assume I'm mean and scary."

"You're not?" Kaoru asked incredulously.

"Of course I'm not!" Kasanoda shot back. The twins cringed away. Kasanoda groaned. "See—that's what I mean. I scare people without meaning to."

"You know, Bossanova—maybe people are scared of you because you're a bandit. Maybe it's your name," Honey suggested.

"Uh—you think so? What am I supposed to do about that?" Kasanoda muttered.

"You could change your name," Kyoya said. "Which, considering your father's reputation, might be a good idea once we reach Ichio."

"What would I change it to?"

"Hmm…There's a story of a famous nobleman from the kingdom of Venenissima whose name is similar to yours," Tamaki said.

Renge's head popped out of the wagon. "You mean Cassanova! The fearless adventurer and infamous lover!" She exclaimed.

"Huh?" Kasanoda said.

"He's the greatest romantic of the century!" Renge cried. "Who wouldn't want to be like Cassanova?"

"Isn't he a notorious womanizer?" Hikaru asked.

"Yeah, how is that romantic?" Kaoru added.

"You wouldn't understand!" Renge shouted. "Besides, those are just rumors! I'm sure the real Cassanova is an absolute gentleman—"

As Renge's lecture on Cassanova's virtues continued, Tamaki said, "See? Surely if you changed your name to something like that, people would view more fondly."

"You think?" Kasanoda looked to him in surprise.

Renge caught this and paused her rant just long enough to interject, "Of course! Even Giulietta admitted that there's power to names! 'For a rose by any other name would not smell as sweet!'"

"Wrong!" Hikaru and Kaoru chorused.

"I don't think you've seen that play once in your life!" Hikaru continued.

"Either that or you've got a horrible memory," Kaoru said.

"My memory is absolutely perfect! I can remember conversations perfectly! I could recite every line of that play backwards!" Renge asserted.

"Isn't that basically what you're doing?"

Kasanoda let the subsequent argument wash over him without listening.

" _Ritsu Cassanova…Doesn't sound like a bad name,_ " he thought.

After an hour or so of traveling, the road began to narrow. Kyoya halted the group and dismounted his steed before they reached the narrowest point. He held up his hands and a shimmering blue barrier appeared before them.

"What's that?" Honey asked.

"It's the border between Ichio and Alsance," Tamaki explained. "Only mages have the ability to open it. A long time ago, when more traffic passed between Ichio and Alsance, a mage stood guard here every day to allow travelers through."

Kyoya pressed his palm against the barrier. It shimmered and a doorway opened. The mage returned to his horse.

"I've ensured that the barrier will open for Tetsuya and your men," Kyoya told Kasanoda. "It won't close for the next three days."

"Tetsuya will be through far sooner than that," Kasanoda replied. With that, the troupe passed through the barrier.

"Well, welcome to the kingdom of Ichio." Tamaki spread his arms out wide to embrace the land they had just entered.

* * *

So, because I've been writing ahead of the posting schedule consistently for the past few posts, I've decided to include next chapter excerpts here. These are chosen at random, so the excerpt may or may not be from the start of the chapter. This week's excerpt falls somewhere in the middle of Chapter 8.

 _ **"Thank you again, Nekozawa. I intend to try this out today," Haruhi said. Nekozawa bowed and Haruhi returned the gesture with a curtsey before running for her chambers.** _

**_Yet the princess was not allowed to complete her journey unhindered. Someone yanked her aside into a nearby alcove. Haruhi let out a yip of surprise, but her captor covered her mouth._**

What exactly has Haruhi been given? What is the use of this object? And who could have grabbed her? Post your guesses to the reviews and remember to check back on Saturday to find out the answers!


	8. Chapter 8: A Jester in the Queen's Court

Hey guys!

So, I hope I haven't kept you in too much suspense with the last post's excerpt! I'll try to get to the chapter quickly. Here's the review response!

 **Jessi . DarkFox** (again, document manager has a vendetta against your correctly formatted username...): Great! That means the excerpt did its work! And thank you so much-I should be able to keep updating at this pace for a while if the characters will keep cooperating!

To satisfy my curiosity, I have a reader question in this post! **_Who is your favorite host?_** I've set this up as a poll on my profile, so feel free to vote there or post your answer in a review! If you review, please include your top two choices if you're "stuck" between two hosts (same goes for the poll-I've allowed for two choices there.) This poll may or may not influence future chapters depending on the number of votes I get. It probably WILL NOT influence shipping as I already have the major plot arc planned. But, when it comes down to "I need to write a scene/chapter but I'm drawing a blank as to who to include," it could definitely help as I may do "host-centered" chapters similarly to the anime's "host-centered" episodes (e.g. "And So Kyoya Met Him" and "The Door the Twins Opened.") In this case, I'm not including Haruhi on the poll as she is more of an independent entity in this fic and will have PLENTY of time dedicated to her backstory.

The next update should be around Wednesday or Thursday in the interest of sticking to the posting schedule.

 **Finally, please check the bottom author's note for a very important style convention/canon note.**

Let's get to the next chapter-in which the troupe finally performs for the court of Ichio!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Ouran High School Host Club series. This is a work of fanfiction and has been written for fun, not monetary gain.**

* * *

A little over a week after her encounter with Nekozawa, Haruhi came down to the throne room to find it bustling with activity.

"Um…what's going on?" she asked.

"Highness—an acting troupe will be performing at court tonight!" a gleeful page exclaimed as he bustled by with an armful of fabric.

"We're setting up for them, Your Highness!" a maid explained in a lilting singsong.

"Huh…" Haruhi trailed off. It had been an incredibly long time since the royal court had had such entertainment. With Ichio's current state of isolation, visits from acting troupes were rare. They received the occasional bard or poet, but these were usually second-rate amateurs. No wonder there was such activity.

Someone tapped lightly on Haruhi's arm. She turned to find Kirimi standing beside her.

"Kirimi—is it your brother?"

"Yes Highness. He says he has news for you."

Haruhi's eyes lit. "Fantastic—where is he?"

"Outside the kitchens, Highness."

"Thank you, Kirimi!"

Haruhi rushed down to the kitchens and out the door before anyone could question her. Once in the kitchen yard, she glanced around. She didn't see the duke anywhere.

"Nekozawa?" she called.

"Here, Your Highness."

Nekozawa emerged from a shadowy corner that Haruhi could have sworn she just looked at. The duke bowed deeply. "Right this way, Highness."

Haruhi followed the cloaked figure to a stack of crates in the corner of the yard.

"The castle cats discovered this exit early this morning," Nekozawa said, moving some of the boxes aside to reveal the smooth stone wall. Haruhi's heart dropped. Seeming to sense this, Nekozawa added, "Fear not. I have concealed it from prying eyes."

Haruhi watched as Nekozawa swirled a hand in front of the wall. A gasp escaped her lips as the stone shimmered away, leaving a smooth hole. Amazed, Haruhi bent down to look through the wall. She could see the city beyond the stones.

"Oh Nekozawa, thank you!" Haruhi exclaimed.

"Of course, Highness. I can see that you are anxious to make use of it. Before you go, allow me to give you a charm that will allow you—and only you—to see the exit."

Nekozawa reached into his robe and pulled a necklace from his pocket. A carved wooden cat pendant hung from the leather cord of the necklace.

"As long as you wear this, you will be able to come and go as you wish. But, keep it close to you. If you lose it outside these walls, you will be unable to return by this route."

Haruhi took the necklace and stowed it away in a pocket concealed in her dress. She would have to thank Mei for that design feature later.

"Thank you again, Nekozawa. I intend to try this out today," Haruhi said. Nekozawa bowed and Haruhi returned the gesture with a curtsey before running for her chambers.

Yet the princess was not allowed to complete her journey unhindered. Someone yanked her aside into a nearby alcove. Haruhi let out a yip of surprise, but her captor covered her mouth.

"It's just me, Haruhi!" Mei muttered. "Where were you running off to?"

"Nowhere important," Haruhi replied. There was no reason to worry her lady-in-waiting right now.

"Good! Come with me," Mei said.

"Mei—I—" But the protests were in vain. Mei steered the princess out of the alcove and off down the next hall.

"Where are we going?" Haruhi asked.

"I heard the acting troupe is rehearsing in the music room. We're going to watch!"

"We don't need to interrupt—"

"We're not going to interrupt. They'll never know we're watching."

"But—how?"

"Just watch."

Mei paused next to an ordinary looking stretch of wall in the corridor. She pressed on the upper left hand corner of one of the wooden panels, then pushed on the lower right hand corner. There was a click and the panel swung back, revealing two holes in the wall at eye level.

"What…?" Haruhi started.

"This looks out from that painting with all of the nymphs," Mei explained as she peered through the peep holes. "Oh great! They've already started. Oh…wow."

"What?"

"These actors are…attractive, to say the least."

Haruhi sighed and rolled her eyes. To think that she could have been out in the city by now…

"Don't you want to look?" Mei asked.

"I don't really care."

"Oh just look!"

Haruhi stepped up to the wall. Within the music room, she observed a tall blonde and a set of redheaded twins gesticulating furiously at each other. She could only hear muffled murmurs of their conversation.

"Whatever they're doing, it looks ridiculous," she stated, stepping back from the wall.

Mei groaned. "They're performers—it's art!"

"Yeah. Right. Art."

"You are impossible! You can't even appreciate the attractiveness of the actors!"

Haruhi shrugged.

Mei put a hand to her forehead, her rouge-painted lips pressed tightly together. She finally let out a sigh. "Fine. But they're performing for the court tonight. And of course, the queen wants you to be properly attired."

" _Oh no_." Haruhi thought. She knew where this was going.

#

"Are you nervous?"

Tamaki turned from his view of the lower half of the throne room to face Kyoya's curious gaze.

"Of course not! I'm used to performing for courtiers, after all," Tamaki said with a wide smile.

"Though typically in not such… _interesting_ attire," Kyoya stated, nodding to Tamaki's yellow, blue and red diamond patterned jacket and breeches.

"I do have the advantage of a mask, however," Tamaki, ever the optimist, replied. He edged up to the curtain and started to peek into the rest of the throne room.

"What are you doing?" Kyoya asked.

"I'm trying to see who we'll be performing for tonight."

"The queen and the princess."

Tamaki's expression brightened. "So Ichio does have a queen! I knew it!"

"Tamaki—" Kyoya started.

Tamaki poked his head out from behind the curtain. "Kyoya…I only see the queen. There's not another throne for the king either. Will Ryoji not be attending our performance?"

"That _is_ Ryoji."

Tamaki's eyes widened. His head turned mechanically back to the mage. "What?"

"I've tried to explain it to you—but we've been interrupted every time. Since the passing of King Ryoji's wife, Queen Kotoko, about twelve years ago, Ryoji has taken on the roles of queen and king. He is both King Ryoji and Queen Ranka."

At this new information, Tamaki blew out a breath.

"Twelve years ago…That explains why I never heard," he murmured. "the pain is too new for it to be history…"

"What's that?"

Tamaki straightened with a nod, composing himself. "It's nothing important. Thank you for telling me. I would have hated to be ignorant of such circumstances."

"Of course."

Tamaki walked over to a small table behind the curtain and picked up a black half mask.

"Is everyone else aware of the situation?"

"Yes."

"Good. I guess that means it's showtime." Tamaki placed the half mask on his face. "Get everyone into position. Let's show the queen, the princess and their court a real comedy."

The court began to settle as Honey, dressed in the baggy white jacket that Renge had purposefully made too long for him and wearing traditional white face paint, stepped out in front of the curtain.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began. He looked to the throne and bowed. "Your Highness and Your Majesty. Tonight, this humble troupe of actors offers you a tale of two servants, their late master's will and three greedy heirs. We will spin a story of loyalty tried and tested. The only question is whether honesty will win out over greed in the end. Without further ado, I present _Le Triomphe de la Comedie!_ "

The audience clapped politely as the curtain drew back to reveal a parlor, complete with an enchanted hearth that Kyoya had created. Tamaki stood in the center of the room, gripping a piece of paper. He began to pace with a bouncing step.

The ensuing comedy began with Tamaki, executor of his late master's will, readying the estate for the arrival of the heirs and the reading of the will. Honey, the late master's errand boy, popped in to the scene only to be shooed out by Tamaki for being underfoot.

The estate preparation should have been simple. Yet, the loyal servant's plans fell apart at every turn. A bookshelf collapsed. A wayward ember from the hearth set the parlor rug aflame. An antique vase rocked off of its stand and shattered. The audience laughed as Tamaki scrambled from one disaster to the next.

The heirs arrived to the house just as Tamaki swept the remains of the vase under the singed rug. Mori, the severe and silent captain, arrived first in imperious glory. Hikaru and Kaoru, the hot and cold lovers, arrived next in a flurry of fuss. After ordering Tamaki and Honey all about the house, the heirs demanded to hear the will. Tamaki reached into his jacket…and stopped. A squeak of shock caused a uproar of laughter. And so the jester began frantically searching the room while trying to disguise his true motives from the heirs. At first, this tactic might have worked. But once Tamaki lifted one end of the prop couch, they became suspicious. Mori lifted the hapless jester into the air, resulting in another girlish shriek. Yet, as the servant flailed in the air, a piece of paper fell from his jacket. Instantly, Mori dropped Tamaki to the floor to pick up the paper. Kaoru snatched the paper from the illiterate captain's hands after a few moments of confusion. Hikaru, impatient and not to be outdone, seized it from Kaoru. The two squabbled as only lovers could—hurling insults and a few plates of china from the nearby shelves. During the fight, Honey managed to slip the page away from the impatient heirs. When the paper was revealed to be the will, Tamaki bounded up from his boneless pile and ripped it away.

The servant took a moment to straighten his clothes in a vain attempt to look professional. Tamaki read the will silently…then burst out into a scream of glee. He began shooing the heirs out of the house with a broom. A zany slapstick resulted until the heirs were finally forced out. Honey questioned Tamaki with child-like nerves. But the jester simply dusted his hands off and proclaimed that the master had written his greedy family out of the will in favor of his loyal servants. And with that, the scene ended to enthusiastic applause.

The troupe had sworn they would keep the first performance simple. Promised that they would stick to a routine that relied more on physical comedy and a unique plot to capture the audience's attention. Vowed they would keep the flashy tricks like Kyoya's illusions to a minimum. Pledged that they would save their best cards for last.

But with the adrenaline of the performance, all those promises sailed out the window for the troupe's leader. Before anyone could stop him, he darted back out on the stage and bowed to the applauding audience.

"Thank you! Thank you! Our troupe would like to extend our gratitude to our marvelous audience. As such, I have gifts for the fair ladies." Tamaki reached into the tight sleeve of his jacket. After a bit of theatrical searching, he produced a pink carnation from his sleeve. The audience gasped in delight. He extended the carnation to the nearest court lady with a smile and quickly produced another to give away.

Soon, each lady of the court held a carnation. Tamaki reached into his sleeve again and pulled out a yellow rose. He held it up in mock surprise.

"It seems I have a rose for someone. Who might not have a flower yet?" He turned to the throne and glanced to the lady-in-waiting. "Ah! Milady, I believe this is for you."

Tamaki looked instantly to Ranka, waiting for approval. The queen nodded. Tamaki approached Mei's chair on the right side of the throne and gave her the rose. He then set eyes on his reason for this scheme.

"Your Highness—I know I have a flower for you too," he said, sidling towards the princess carefully. He made a show of going to pull another flower from his sleeve. But this time his hand came up empty. With feigned alarm, he checked the other sleeve and found it empty as well. He began twisting his hands in a worried fashioned. One of those anxious twists resulted in a pure white rose.

Tamaki had watched the princess the entire night, gauging her reactions. At the start of the play, she had seemed bored. The slapstick earned only slight half smiles from her. She seemed interested by Kyoya's fireplace and enchanted coal, but not impressed. Only the quick turns of clever dialogue seemed to truly catch her attention.

So when Tamaki saw genuine intrigue mixed in with the wariness in her eyes, he wanted to dance about in triumph. He gave her the rose and a gleeful smile. Unexpectedly, she returned his smile with a very slight one of her own. It might have only been a twitch of the corners of her lips. But it was there.

Finally, Tamaki turned back to face the throne. Here was his biggest challenge. With a misstep, he could very well offend the king and queen and ruin all their chances. Any definite action carried that risk. Maybe he should have consulted Kyoya before this stunt. But he was into it now. He would just be vague and polite and hope that Queen Ranka interrupted him before he did something stupid. He bowed as deeply as he could manage.

"Your Majesty, I do not know how we could possibly express our gratitude for your graciousness," he began.

He was prepared to go on, but Queen Ranka intervened. "Do not let your gratitude be diminished by attaching it to a gift. Use it to fuel your performances."

Tamaki risked a glance at the queen. There was the slightest twitch in the monarch's eye. A subtle wink. Instantly, Tamaki bowed his head again. Obviously, he had done something right.

With a smile, the queen proclaimed, "You have won my favor."

Tamaki tried not to jump for joy on the spot. They had done it. They had been accepted into Ichio's court.

* * *

 **Before I get to the excerpt for the next post:** With the official introduction of Ranka, I'd like to address a significant style convention. This may or may not be an issue, but I felt like it was necessary to include. The anime and manga (at least the English versions) both referred to Ranka with the pronoun "he," even while Ranka was crossdressing. So, in the interest of adhering to canon, I will be referring to Ranka as "he" in all future scenarios. However, I will be switching between "Queen Ranka" and "King Ryoji" (or simply "Ranka" or "Ryoji") to indicate whether he is acting as king or queen for certain days/scenes. This note is just here so you guys know that I'm not making assumptions or attempting to be insensitive regarding this area. I'm simply respecting the conventions set by the original author.

And the excerpt for next post is...

 _ **Surprised at this sudden forwardness from his jesters, Tamaki glanced back at them. "I thought I said charming!"**_

 _ **"You did! Plenty of ladies find the devilish type charming," the twins said with identical grins.**_

Oh dear! What have the twins done this time? Send me your guesses via review and check back on Wednesday to find out!


	9. Chapter 9: Le Triomphe de la Comédie

Hey guys!

First off, I am SO sorry for being late with posting this chapter! I have been in the middle of catching up on and finishing up my Camp Nanowrimo project and some other work-related stuff and I got behind with getting this chapter together.

So, of course I want to do review responses first:

 **Miss Chantelle:** Of course! I'm always happy to respond to reviews!

Also, the favorite host poll is still up! If you're trying to find it to vote, click on my profile and look for the "Polls" at the very top of the page in the center!

The next update should be around Monday or Tuesday. I'm not quite as far ahead of the posting schedule as I would like, but hopefully I will be able to get back to that after the end of this month.

Without further ado-the next chapter! In which Haruhi is unimpressed and the troupe develops a fan club!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Ouran High School Host Club series. This is a work of fanfiction and has been written for fun, not monetary gain.**

* * *

News of the troupe's success spread quickly through the castle in Shikanai. A few days after the performance, Haruhi found the castle halls strangely empty of their usual chatter.

"It's usually so much noisier in here. Where is everyone?" she muttered aloud as she wandered about.

"Highness, I think you'll find that most of the ladies in the court have taken to the exterior courtyard," a passing footman offered.

"Oh—thank you." Unable to hold back her curiosity, Haruhi headed for the courtyard.

The exterior courtyard held a gate that opened up to the city. It was surrounded by open breezeways separated from it by stone arches. Due to this unique architectural feature, it was sometimes called the Spy's Courtyard as an individual could conceal themselves in the nooks and crannies of the breezeways and observe the courtyard without being seen.

Haruhi approached the courtyard cautiously. She had no desire to get wrapped up in whatever had caught the attention of the ladies in the court. A quick glimpse at the courtyard revealed that the acting troupe had set up camp here.

" _Ok…so the acting troupe is here…Why is everyone else?_ " she thought. She spied a knot of court ladies in one corner of the courtyard and edged forward to hear them.

"Isn't the troupe leader just amazing?" one exclaimed. "He plays _Arlecchino_ so well and he's _so_ beautiful!"

"He is, but have you seen the mage? I saw him practicing illusions and he just seems so… _cool_!" another proclaimed, feigning a swoon.

"What about the twins? Their brotherly love is so pure and lovely!"

"Oh but what about _Il Capitano_? I've never seen someone play the captain as a silent role, but he does it perfectly!"

"And _Pedrolino_! I just want to tie his sleeves back for him!"

"They're all so amazing I can't even take it!" The court ladies squealed together. "I hope they come back soon!"

Haruhi leaned her forehead against the stone of the alcove, biting back an exasperated groan. She should have known. Of course it would be something like this. Unimpressed, she left the court ladies to their chatter.

#

"Tamaki, it appears we have visitors," Kyoya said. The troupe had just returned to the palace after a visit to the river outside of Shikanai. Tamaki followed Kyoya's gaze and spied a group of ladies from Ichio's court clustered together in one corner.

"Hmm, what do you think? Shall we invite them over? They do look rather shy," Tamaki said.

"It could help us if we held favor with other members of the court," Kyoya replied.

"Then it's settled. Men, gather round!" The actors clustered together around their leader.

"I want you all to do your best to make these court ladies comfortable," Tamaki instructed. "Be as charming as possible."

"Yessir!" the others chorused.

Tamaki left the group, strode past the wagon and stopped within hailing distance of the ladies.

"Ladies, please—don't be shy! We promise we don't bite," he said.

"Much. We don't bite _much_ ," Hikaru called out from behind him.

"And even then, we try to make it pleasant," Kaoru added. A chorus of enchanted shrieks rose up from the court ladies.

Surprised at this sudden forwardness from his jesters, Tamaki glanced back at them. "I thought I said _charming_!"

"You did! Plenty of ladies find the devilish type charming," the twins said with identical grins.

And the prediction gradually proved true. After much shoving and twittering, two of the court ladies sidled over, giggling. Upon seeing their court sisters engaged in conversation with the mysterious young men, the rest of the group meandered over. Soon, the young ladies were spread about the courtyard like a flock of brightly ornamented birds.

"Oh Tamaki, how do you play _Arlecchino_ so well? Don't you ever get nervous?" one of the young women asked.

Tamaki turned the full force of his adoring gaze on her. "How could I ever get nervous? After all, you're the only one in the audience I'm performing for."

The girl clutched at her friend to keep from fainting.

"So how long have you been touring?" One of the three young ladies sitting near the twins asked.

"Only a little while. Most of what we've been doing has been in our home kingdom, Alsance," Hikaru said, providing the perfectly rehearsed answer the troupe had developed during the journey to Ichio.

"But we wanted to see more of the world, so we decided to come to Ichio. We don't know how long we'll be here. Or where we're going next," Kaoru said.

"We hope you stay for a long time!" one of the ladies cried out.

"Well, as long as we have fans like you, we might consider staying indefinitely," the twins chorused. The girls responded with sighs of glee.

"Have either of you had much time to see Shikanai?" Near the wagon, Honey and Mori were entertaining a small group.

"Not really. But I really want to see it. Someone told me about a sweets shop that's known across the whole kingdom!" Honey exclaimed.

"He's so cute!" one of the court ladies chirped.

"You know, Honey, you should try the sugared chestnuts. They only come in this time of year!"

"That sounds great! Don't you think so, Takashi?" Honey asked, glancing up at his partner in crime.

"Yeah." Mori said.

"He's so strong and silent! He brings the mute acting role to life!" The shrieks continued and floated across the courtyard to another group of young ladies.

"I've been replaying that performance over and over in my head. But I can't seem to capture the true beauty of it!" one court lady complained.

"I believe I could help with that," Kyoya volunteered, seeming to appear at the group's side out of nowhere. "You see, I've just been in contact with some of Shikanai's printers. We hope to have prints done of several scenes from our comedies. There's also a potential for printing cards of the individual actors in costume, but I'm not sure if there would be sufficient interest."

"I'd love one!"

"I'd take one of each!"

"Oh please have them done!"

A clamor rose up around the illusionist. His smile widened in anticipation of the lucrative opportunity that had just been presented.

The troupe continued entertaining their guests for the next few hours. However, Renge soon returned from the city with armfuls of fabric.

"Hikaru! Kaoru! I need you two! I have to fit you for these costumes. And the rest of you—" Renge glanced sternly at the other troupe members. "Shouldn't you be rehearsing?"

Tamaki tossed his head with a melancholy sigh. "Well, ladies, I'm afraid we must leave you now. Our manager can be terribly strict with us."

Behind him, Renge's mouth dropped open. "Ma…manager?"

Tamaki shot her a breezy grin. "Of course, Renge! You've been the one to direct us to these unique storylines after all. We couldn't do this without you."

Renge let out a gleeful shriek, dropped her costume making supplies and threw her arms around him. "Oh thank you Majesty! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she cried.

"'Majesty?'" One of the court ladies questioned. "Tamaki—surely you're not saying you're a king."

Instantly, Renge released her grip on Tamaki. She smiled sheepishly at her slip of the tongue. Kyoya, who had witnessed this exchange from the edge of the courtyard, groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. But, Tamaki managed to recover effortlessly.

"Why of course I'm a king! I'm the king of this acting troupe!" he proclaimed. He swooped down on one of the nearby court ladies. "After all, haven't I given you ladies the… _royal treatment_?"

A chorus of shrieks and giggles rose up from the ladies. The rest of the troupe watched this scene impassively.

"I can see how this is going to go," Kaoru muttered.

"He's played all of them—including Renge," Hikaru added.

"Well, at least this way, if one of us slips up, it won't be a big deal," Honey pointed out.

"Yeah, but can you imagine? The only reason milord's ego was kept in check in Alsance was because he had responsibilities to weigh him down. Now, he has all of the ego and none of the responsibilities," Hikaru said.

"May I remind you that Tamaki specifically chose you to accompany him on this journey because you are his _closest friends_." The twins jumped as Kyoya spoke from behind them.

"We were just making an observation," Hikaru muttered.

"Then you should rest assured that there are _many_ responsibilities still upon Tamaki. Remember why we came here in the first place," Kyoya said.

"Yeah…the princess didn't seem to be too impressed with him at the first performance," Kaoru said.

"She may just take time to warm up to him," Honey said. "And I know if anyone can convince someone to like them, it's Tamaki."

The rest of the troupe looked on as Tamaki danced about the court ladies, giving his final goodbyes.

Kaoru grinned slightly. "Ya know, Honey—you're right. After all, he won all of us over pretty easily."

Tamaki soon bounded over to the others. "Well, that's settled. The ladies would like to see us again late tomorrow morning. Kyoya, I think we can work some kind of schedule out—this is a great opportunity."

"I agree. I'll get to work on it right away," Kyoya said.

"Well, I think it's about time we got down to work—we can't disappoint our fans!" Tamaki declared.

* * *

I don't have any author's notes for this week, so on to the next chapter's excerpt!

 _ **Haruhi adjusted her grip on her blade. She could hardly breathe underneath the weight of the heavy suit of armor. But the banner of Ichio was flapping behind her and she had to protect it.**_

 _ **Her opponent, a faceless black knight, stood poised and waiting for her next attack. She swung her blade about wildly. The knight parried easily. Haruhi felt like the black knight was toying with her. Not truly using their full strength.**_

What has Haruhi gotten herself into? Check back Monday or Tuesday to find out!


	10. Chapter 10: An Unwilling Volunteer

Hi everyone!

Hope you've all been doing well. Review responses are up first!

 **Chalice13** : Thank you so much! I definitely plan to keep going-especially after seeing readers that apparently enjoy the story so much!

I know this is probably a super busy week for everyone with end of the semester testing and things like that, but if you have a chance, please review! I'm always interested in what my readers have to say-after all, I want to make sure you guys are happy with the direction things are going! And remember, guest/anonymous reviews are available. The host poll is still up-though I have heard some complaints from mobile site users that they can't find it. I checked it myself as well and apparently, the poll can't be accessed through the mobile version of the site. So, if you're on the mobile version and want to vote, send in a review! Even if it's just the name of your two favorite hosts, it's still a vote!

The next post should be Thursday or Friday. Again, I'm still trying to catch up and get ahead of the posting schedule, but that should be easier now that Camp Nano has officially ended.

So, on to the next chapter! In which Haruhi becomes an unwilling volunteer.

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Ouran High School Host Club series. This is a work of fanfiction and has been written for fun, not monetary gain.**

* * *

Haruhi adjusted her grip on her blade. She could hardly breathe underneath the weight of the heavy suit of armor. But the banner of Ichio was flapping behind her and she had to protect it.

Her opponent, a faceless black knight, stood poised and waiting for her next attack. She swung her blade about wildly. The knight parried easily. Haruhi felt like the black knight was toying with her. Not truly using its full strength.

So, she charged the knight with a frenzy of frantic attacks. Each one was batted aside. But each time, the return blow grew stronger.

The last parry whipped the sword from her hands. A strike to her helmet sent her stumbling to the ground. The black knight's blade came for her neck.

Haruhi awoke with a start.

As she realized she was in her chambers instead of on the battlefield, she shook her head and took a deep breath. Her hands twisted into her down comforter as she thought of the black knight. The specter had haunted her dreams for weeks. And in each dream, it won the battle.

She slipped out of bed and the remaining wisps of the dream faded away. As she went about her morning routine, which consisted of opening the curtains to let in the sun and pulling her bed straight, she ran through a plan of her day. Mei had scheduled yet another dress fitting that afternoon and there was also the formal afternoon tea that Kirimi had begged for shortly after the fitting. Haruhi didn't understand _why_ the formality was necessary—after all, it would just be for three. But, Mei had argued that it was a necessary part of training for a junior lady-in-waiting. Then, the evening and night would be tied up with another performance from the acting troupe. Haruhi had to admire their tenacity. The troupe had performed a new piece every three days. That kind of creative consistency was a rarity with other performers.

Haruhi paused at her desk. She unlocked one of the drawers and pulled out the wooden cat pendant Nekozawa had given her. The fitting wouldn't be until much later that afternoon. And she hadn't gotten much of a chance to go into the city since the arrival of the troupe. Today would be a perfect day to get out of the castle. She slipped the pendant on and went to change into her "commoner's" clothes.

Yet, as she went to leave her chambers, she nearly tripped on something in front of her door. When she realized what it was, her face brightened. She picked up the small pouch of coins and pocketed it with a smile. As she wasn't supposed to venture outside of the castle walls without a guardian, Haruhi rarely had access to common money. She had once had an allowance as a child, but that had gradually disappeared under Yuko's counsel. The advisor had reasoned that access to money was both unnecessary and "unbecoming" for a princess of a marriageable age.

However, at least one individual in the castle disagreed with Yuko's philosophy. In the last few months, an unknown benefactor had left Haruhi a small sum at her doorstep every couple of weeks. At first, she had assumed that it was Mei's doing. But at the lady-in-waiting's vehement protests, that theory had been dropped. She had also considered that Misuzu, Mei's father, might have been her benefactor. However, it seemed unlikely that the monarch's right hand advisor (much to Yuko's chagrin) and closest friend would risk his position in such a manner. So, Haruhi had concluded that her benefactor would eventually reveal their identity and she didn't need to pry into the matter further.

As usual, she went to her desk, wrote out a quick note of thanks and placed the card behind a statue in the hall as she left. She knew that the note would be gone when she returned that afternoon.

Haruhi crept through the castle and out to the kitchen yard. The exit was still there, just as Nekozawa had promised. Still cautious, she pulled a few crates in front of the hole before she left.

Once she was finally out in the free air of the city, Haruhi breathed a sigh of relief. She happily faded into the background amidst the noise and the scurrying of everyone around her. It felt good to walk about unnoticed—free from the constraints of being Ichio's princess. There was security in her commoner's clothes. There was security in blending in and looking like everyone else. As Princess Haruhi, she stood in a constant spotlight of simultaneous adoration and expectation. But no one would ever pick Haruki Fujimoto from a crowd.

She checked her cap and her pouch of money one last time before heading off to the chaotic market in search of the chestnut merchant.

After a while of meandering around between the lines of booths in the twisted alleys, Haruhi emerged in one of the public squares that were scattered across the city. She turned about, realizing she had obviously taken a wrong turn somewhere. One of these days, she'd get a proper map of the city.

A crowd had gathered across the square. Haruhi tried to see what was going on, but too many bodies blocked her view. She crossed the square and slipped into the crowd, intent to see what had captured so many people's attention.

In the center of the crowd, she craned her neck and stood on her toes. But at best, she only caught a glimpse of a painted sheet of fabric. So she edged forward until she could see.

An intricate backdrop painted to look like a library stood on a short wooden platform in front of the crowd. And on the wooden platform, two individuals stood in costume. Haruhi recognized them as the twins from the acting troupe.

" _So that's what it is. They're performing. Is my father's patronage not enough?"_ she thought. She cast a glance about for a coin collection, but saw none. " _They're doing this for free?"_

On the stage, the twins were in the midst of another comical lover's fight. They stood poised to hurl books at each other. Suddenly, the actor playing _Pedrolino_ scurried onto the stage. He pleaded with the lovers to cease their argument. He played on their affections for one another, reminding them of sweet-nothings they had exchanged. Gradually, the _innamorati_ softened. The audience exclaimed happily as the couple embraced each other.

Yet the peace didn't last long. _Pedrolino_ chirped that he felt less guilty now that the couple had made up. The twin playing the female _innamorata_ glanced up sharply and asked what _Pedrolino_ meant. _Pedrolino_ guilelessly admitted to being the instigator of the argument. The _innamorati_ looked from one another then to _Pedrolino_ , fury rising as the audience laughed. With simultaneous cries, they went for _Pedrolino,_ who shrieked and scampered off-stage. The audience clapped and cheered as the scene drew to a close.

A moment later, the blonde playing _Arlecchino_ bounced out onto the stage to the cheers of the audience.

"For this next performance, I'm going to need a volunteer!" he called out. Hands shot up around Haruhi as eager children and adventurous adults jumped at the opportunity. _Arlecchino_ surveyed the crowd. His gaze stopped on Haruhi.

"Ah! Sir!" He gestured with an open hand to her. She pointed at herself, eyes wide.

"Yes, you! With the cap! Please step up to the stage!"

Haruhi paled and shook her head vehemently.

But _Arlecchino_ was nonplussed. "Oh my, seems we have a rather shy volunteer. Could we give him some encouragement?"

The audience cheered and clapped. The watchers near Haruhi began herding her towards the stage. Her stomach flopped. So much for not being picked out of a crowd.

Once up on the stage, Haruhi cast an anxious gaze out at the crowd, then at _Arlecchino_. Her heart pounded in her chest. What if _Arlecchino_ recognized her as the princess? After all, he was the only one who had ever gotten close enough to see her face plainly.

Yet _Arlecchino_ merely smiled at her. "Now, good sir, I'm going to need your cap."

Haruhi grabbed for her cap, feeling the pins keeping her hair in place. "Um, I—I can't give you my cap."

"Why not? It won't be but for a moment," _Arlecchino_ replied.

"I—uh—my mother knitted it for me! She'll be upset if I lose it!"

"Oh, come, come. You'll get it back, I promise." _Arlecchino_ reached for the cap. Haruhi flinched back and tripped.

The resulting back scramble sent her crashing into the backdrop. It ripped with a sickening zip and she plunged from the platform to the gasps of the crowd.

She landed with a w _hump_ on a layer of flat sandbags behind the platform. For a moment, she lay there, trying to catch her breath. A few faces soon floated over her.

"Oh no—we worked on that backdrop for three days," one of the twins said.

"But it's a good thing we put the sandbags behind the platform. That could have been a mess," the other twin said.

"Are you okay?" the actor playing _Pedrolino_ asked.

Haruhi caught her breath and sat up. She reached for her cap and found it in place. "Ye…yeah. I think so." She looked about. Five of the troupe members, including the illusionist and the actor who played _Il Capitano,_ were staring at her. A few second later, _Arlecchino_ joined them.

"Well, I suppose that's handled. I told the crowd we would perform in a few hours after dealing with things." He looked to Haruhi. "I'm glad to see you're all right. But that was quite a spectacle you caused."

"Milord, he totally destroyed our backdrop! All of that work!" the first twin complained.

 _Arlecchino_ cast a glance at the ruined backdrop. "Oh no…I suppose it couldn't be patched."

"I doubt that seriously, Tamaki," the illusionist said. "And that canvas was quite an expense. Not to mention the work that went into it."

 _Arlecchino_ , whose real name was apparently Tamaki, folded his arms and studied Haruhi. "Well, what do we do then?"

"He doesn't look like he has any money," _Pedrolino_ said.

"We could make him work for the troupe," the second twin suggested.

Haruhi blanched. "Whoa, whoa—wait! I have money!"

"Well, Kyoya, how much damage do you think was done?" Tamaki asked.

The illusionist pushed his glasses up with one finger. "By my estimates, about twenty ziens worth of damage."

Haruhi winced. She only had four silver ziens and a few lesser coins with her. "I…I don't have that much. I only have four ziens." At the disapproving looks, she added: "but I could get the rest to you! I would just need some time."

"Yeah, but how do we know you'll bring it to us?" one of the twins challenged.

"I…I could leave something with you," Haruhi suggested.

"Like what? That necklace you're wearing?" the other twin asked.

"No! Not that." Haruhi instinctively gripped the wooden cat pendant. She immediately began feeling around in her pockets. Her fingers brushed against something metal. She pulled the key to her desk out. "I could leave this."

"What is it?" _Pedrolino_ asked.

"It's a desk key," Tamaki stated as he took the key from her. "Acceptable collateral I think."

"Now, when do you plan to pay back the rest?" Kyoya asked.

"I could get another four ziens to you in two weeks," Haruhi said.

"Meaning your debt would be paid off in about two months…I suppose we'll still be here by then," Kyoya said. He glanced at Tamaki, who nodded.

The troupe leader turned a gleaming smile on Haruhi. "I don't believe I ever caught your name," he said.

"Um, Haruki. Haruki Fujimoto," Haruhi offered.

"Well then, Haruki, I think it's a deal," Tamaki said, extending a hand towards her. Haruhi shook his hand, but couldn't shake off the feeling she had just gotten herself into a much bigger mess than she knew.

* * *

And the excerpt from the next chapter is...

 _ **"How do you do that?" Mei asked.**_

 _ **"Well my lady, it would spoil the fun if I told you how," Tamaki said. He offered a brilliant smile. "Walk with me?"**_

What is Tamaki up to? And what is Lady Mei's role in it? Check back Thursday or Friday and find out!


	11. Chapter 11: Lady Mei

Hi everyone!

As usual, review responses are up first. I just received my first guest review!

 **Guest** : Thank you so much! That comment absolutely made my day!

For anyone interested in voting, the favorite host poll is still up!

The next update should be around Monday or Tuesday. I am _still_ not ahead of the posting schedule. But I will hopefully have time to get a couple of chapters written and get ahead soon!

Now, to the next chapter-in which Tamaki has questions for Lady Mei!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Ouran High School Host Club series. This is a work of fanfiction and has been written for fun, not monetary gain.**

* * *

A short time after their performance in the city square, the troupe sat in the castle courtyard, entertaining the court ladies. The number of guests had grown significantly since their first day as more ladies seeking light-hearted fun came to them. The courtyard echoed with giggles and chatter. That is, until a young woman in a powder blue dress walked into the courtyard.

"Oh Lady Mei…" the courtyard hushed abruptly as the young woman approached. The ladies cast their eyes down in embarrassment.

"What's wrong, my dear ladies?" Tamaki asked his guests.

"It's Lady Mei. She's so proud. She'll never approve of something like this," one of the court ladies said.

"In fact, she'll probably tell Yuko. We won't be able to come see you anymore once she does that," a second added.

"I see," Tamaki said. He stood and nodded at his group to Kyoya. The illusionist stepped in immediately to disperse the guests among the other troupe members as Tamaki walked towards Lady Mei.

As he approached, he stopped and bowed. "Lady Mei, I hope we're not disturbing anything."

The young woman's face twisted into a slight cringe for a brief moment. "No, you're not. I just came to see what all the fuss was about…"

Tamaki took in the cringe and the reluctance to approach. Perhaps the court ladies had misconstrued the lady-in-waiting's motives.

"Would you like to join us? All guests are welcome," he said.

"I don't know that I would be. It might make the other guests uncomfortable," Mei muttered.

Instantly, Tamaki saw what he needed to do. "I know that wouldn't be true. But, if it would make _you_ more comfortable, you don't have to join a group. You could have a troupe member to yourself."

"Who?" Mei asked, glancing around the courtyard.

"Me." Tamaki reached into his sleeve and produced a yellow rose. He passed it to her with a flourish.

"How do you do that?" Mei asked, staring at the rose in wonder.

"Well my lady, it would spoil the fun if I told you how," Tamaki said. He offered a brilliant smile and his arm. "Walk with me?"

Mei looked him up and down for a brief moment. There might have been a real blush rising on her cheeks behind the rouge, but Tamaki couldn't be sure. She took his arm. "Of course…"

"So, Lady Mei—or would you prefer Mei?" he asked.

"Mei, please."

"Then Mei, I'd like to get to know you better. I know you're the princess's lady-in-waiting, but not much more than that."

"What do you want to know?"

"What are your favorite pastimes perhaps?" Tamaki suggested.

"Oh…well, I design dresses. That takes up most of my free time," she replied. Tamaki nodded. Rumors around the court had told him as much. But he wanted to be sure.

"If that's one of your designs, it's very elegant," he said, indicating her dress.

"Thank you."

"Have you enjoyed our performances so far?"

"I have. It's been wonderful to finally have real performers in Shikanai. We haven't had this kind of entertainment in such a long time."

"Excellent. I'm very glad to hear that."

They lapsed into silence for a moment as Tamaki thought. He had a number of questions for her, but they needed to be approached with tact.

"So you're the princess's only lady-in-waiting?" he asked.

"Well, yes. Unless you count her junior-lady-in-waiting Kirimi."

"How long have you known the princess?"

"For forever. We grew up together."

Tamaki took a few more steps. The next questions needed to seem as nonchalant as possible. "Then I suppose you know a lot about her likes and dislikes?"

"Of course I do—but hey—what kind of interrogation is this?" Mei asked, suspicions roused.

"You see, Mei, I feel that the troupe has done an excellent job of impressing our audience…except for the princess. We can't stand the thought of a dissatisfied patron, especially one in such an esteemed position. We hope we can bring her around. But to do that, we need to know a bit more about her."

Mei snorted. "Well, the only thing you really need to know about her is that she's difficult."

"They say that difficulty makes a task more fulfilling in the end."

"Ha. I don't know where you got that saying from," Mei muttered.

"I must have picked it up during our travels," Tamaki replied.

Mei sighed. "I really don't know that I can tell you much that would help you. Princess Haruhi is very…intellectual. She's usually in the library, her nose buried in some book. She's not musical at all and most of the 'courtly activities' like needlepoint bore her."

"But surely there's something she enjoys doing. That she _truly_ enjoys."

Mei opened her mouth to say something, then closed it promptly. She paused for a few moments, then said, "Oh! Cooking. She used to help my father, Misuzu, in the kitchens all the time. But that was a long time ago."

"Why did she stop?"

"She was barred from it. Yuko considered it an 'unbecoming' task for a princess. Then again, she considers it 'inappropriate' for my father as well."

"I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting your father," Tamaki said.

"I'm sure you will. He flounces around the castle all the time. You've probably seen him in the court audience. He's the king's right hand advisor, but he prefers to mix with the courtiers and the servants. He thinks its more…'refreshing,'" Mei said, rolling her eyes.

"And what about Yuko?"

"You won't see her. She doesn't attend 'frivolous' activities like troupe performances. Besides, if she did, she would have to stand with my father in the court crowd. She's too snobbish to do that, even though she's the king's second advisor. But from the way this place is run, you'd think she was the monarch…"

"Speaking of monarchs, I'm afraid there's a point I need cleared up regarding titles. I understand that His Majesty takes both the titles of 'king' and 'queen.' But, I can't seem to figure out a pattern as to which title to use. I'm in the dark unless I've seen him personally. Yet, it seems like the rest of the court knows which to address him as," Tamaki said.

"Oh—you haven't seen the banners, have you?" Mei asked.

Tamaki shook his head.

"They stand in the Great Hall. On days that the banners are purple, His Majesty is to be addressed as Queen Ranka. On days that the banners are blue, His Majesty prefers to be called King Ryoji. It changes all the time, so most of the court is used to checking the Great Hall once or twice a day."

Understanding dawned and Tamaki laughed. "Ah! I see! That's quite a smart system!"

"My father thought of it. He said that it would save the court and servants trouble and worry," Mei said. She looked out over the courtyard, her gaze passing over the laughing ladies.

Tamaki caught a gleam of sadness in her eyes. "What's wrong, my lady?"

"I wish I was more like my dad," Mei admitted. "everyone likes him so much. I know the court wonders what's wrong with me. They probably think I'm more like Yuko. But it's not true. It's just…I worry about Princess Haruhi being alone so much. I try to spend most of my time with her, so I come off as unfriendly to the rest of the court. And because I try to dress well and sit near the thrones like I'm supposed to when court is called, everyone thinks I'm stuck up."

Tamaki's head tilted to one side. A bit of advice his father had given him long ago came to mind.

" _A monarch's job is to create harmony. Harmony in the court, the capital and the kingdom. And sometimes, the smallest acts mean more to someone else than you would think."_

Mei suddenly shook her head viciously. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. Please forget what I said."

"Of course," Tamaki replied. But his mind was already spinning ways to follow his father's advice. He might not be a true monarch. But he was king of the acting troupe for now. An idea sparked.

"Mei, There's someone I would like you to meet," he said.

"Oh…okay," Mei agreed hesitantly.

Tamaki led the lady-in-waiting to the wagon and pulled back the curtain. "Please, come inside."

Mei stepped into the wagon, which had been turned into a makeshift sewing room. Reams of colorful fabrics piled against the sides of the wagon. Completed costume hung from the low beams. Mei gaped.

"Renge?" Tamaki called. "I have someone you should meet."

"Yes Ma—I mean, Tamaki?" Renge emerged from behind a curtain at the back of the wagon, dressed in a long, flowing blue dress and a crown of flowers.

"And which design are you wearing today?" Tamaki asked.

"I'm Euridice from _Orfeus and Euridice—_ the play about lovers separated by death! It's such a shame that Euridice had to return to the underworld simply because she looked back at it!"

At this, Mei's head cocked. "Um…I don't think that's what—"

Tamaki waved a hand. "It's not important. Lady Mei, I would like you to meet our costume designer and manager, Renge."

"You made all these?" Mei's eyes were wide with wonder.

"Why of course!" Renge exclaimed.

"I'd never have time to do this! I sketch designs for the princess's dresses, but someone else has to do the sewing. I've only ever gotten through one design by myself while hand-sewing." Mei ran a hand over the shimmering fabric next to her.

Renge giggled. "Oh no! I'd never be able to do this by hand-sewing!"

"Then how do you do it?"

"Let me show you! It's a wonderful new invention!"

Tamaki smiled at the sudden flood of glee that washed over Mei's face. Hopefully he had done his work for the day. "Well then, ladies, I'll leave you to your work." He excused himself with a bow and stepped out of the wagon.

He caught some of the troupe members staring at him as he went back to visit with the court ladies. He simply smiled. After all, his troupe had never seen the tiny ways he worked for harmony in Alsance and Tamaki didn't want to reveal his methods now. His closest courtiers always thought that _they_ served the king. Tamaki laughed a bit. They'd never believe the truth. They'd never believe that _their king_ worked tireless to serve them.

* * *

So the next excerpt is...

 _ **"Why not?" Hikaru and Kaoru chorused.**_

 _ **"I just—I just don't do stuff like that!" Haruhi began backing away from the twins, but bumped into Tamaki. She spun around.**_

 _ **"That sounds like more than just a protest," Tamaki said. He put a finger under her chin. "Don't tell me you're just shy about playing Arlecchino's lover."**_

What has Haruhi gotten dragged into? Check back Monday or Tuesday and find out!


	12. Chapter 12: The Search for Columbina

Hi guys!

Hope everyone is doing well! The first order of business is review responses!

 **Karikinis** : Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! Keep up the wonderful work with your blog-I always look forward to your posts!

For those of you who are on Tumblr, Karikinis is the admin for **ouran-imagine** , a fantastic fandom blog. Follow them! **ask-the-ouranhosts** and **cute-commoner** are also great blogs to follow for even more of an Ouran fix.

The next update should be Thursday or Friday. I'm still a bit behind the eight ball on the posting schedule as I've been trying to outline the full plot line arc and the detailed scene list for this fanfiction. However, now that I know where I'm going, things should run much more smoothly!

So, to the chapter-in which lightbulbs go off and Haruhi is pulled into _more_ troupe hijinks!

* * *

" _What_ is this?" Haruhi glanced up from her book to see Mei brandishing a nondescript pouch. The princess's jaw went slack. The pouch contained money from her mysterious benefactor. But the gift had come two days earlier than she expected.

"Um—I—I don't know," Haruhi lied. Mei's lips compressed into a thin line. Obviously the lie wasn't very convincing.

"Haruhi, someone left a pouch full of money outside your chambers. _Again_. Are you still going out into the city?"

"Uh, well…"

"After you got _arrested_? How long have you been going? How often? Why didn't you tell me? Has anything happened while you were out there? Do you know what a mess you would have been in if something had happened and I wasn't there to bail you out of it?" Mei exclaimed.

"I know, Mei! I know! But I was afraid of worrying you," Haruhi replied. "Besides, I've only gotten to go there every couple of weeks."

Mei huffed. "And let me guess: you're going today."

"I thought about it. I probably need to go since the money is here today."

"'Need?'" Mei echoed.

Haruhi winced. Definitely the wrong word to use. Maybe she could still get out of the slip-up. "Well, I _want_ to go—"

"No, you said 'need to go.' Why would you 'need' to go, Haruhi? Did something happen while you were out in the city?"

"No—nothing happened!" Haruhi's thoughts instantly went to the debt she owed the troupe.

Mei read the lie instantly. "Something did happen! And you need money! Are you in debt to someone?"

Haruhi hung her head. "Yeah…I am."

"Who? Who do you owe?"

"The acting troupe."

Mei abruptly sank down on a nearby chair. "Please tell me you're kidding."

"I wish I was."

"How much do you owe them?"

"Twenty ziens. Well, sixteen ziens right now. It'll be twelve after today."

"Twenty ziens! What did you do?"

"They pulled me on-stage as a volunteer. I tripped, fell and ruined their backdrop."

"Oh I _told_ you you'd eventually get into big trouble if you kept going out there," Mei groaned.

Haruhi put down her book and rose from her chair. "It's not that big of a deal. There's a lot worse that could have happened. At this rate, I can have them paid back within the next month. Besides, it gives me a chance to get to know them."

"You've got all sorts of chances to get to know them! You could invite them to your chambers for tea and they'd come! Why does getting to know them require going out and pretending to be a commoner?" Mei asked, her arms outstretched in exasperation.

"Because if they meet me as Princess Haruhi, they won't show their true personalities. They'll be tiptoeing around my royal title. But, if I get to know them as Haruki Fujimoto, I'll find out what they're _really_ like."

Mei buried her face in her hands. "She's using logic! I'll never talk her out of it now!"

"Sorry Mei. You wouldn't have been able to talk me out of it anyway." Haruhi left the sitting room and went to change into her "commoner's" clothes. When she emerged, Mei observed her with a frustrated sigh.

"Well, if I'm not back to get ready for tonight's performance—" Haruhi started.

"I know…cover for you," Mei muttered. "Try to come back in one piece—and without getting arrested!"

#

Haruhi arrived to the city square just as the troupe was packing its set and props into the wagon.

"You're late," Kaoru stated as she walked up.

"Um, sorry," Haruhi muttered. "You guys _are_ here two days early. How was I supposed to know your schedule?"

"Don't you live here?" Hikaru asked. "It's all over the city almost as soon as we leave the castle."

"I didn't hear about it until a little while ago," Haruhi said.

"You should pay more attention then," Hikaru replied simply. Haruhi shot him an irritated look before trudging over to Kyoya.

"Ah, Haruki. Good to see you. I assume you have this week's payment," Kyoya said. Haruhi pulled four silver ziens from her pocket and gave them to him.

"Thank you. And for your information, in the next few weeks, we should start performing here every three days. However, I won't consider your payment late until four weeks have passed since the original incident," Kyoya said.

"Oh—thanks. But what happens if I'm late?"

"Interest won't be much. Only three copper nettas per day."

Haruhi blanched. " _Three nettas a day? That's more than a zien a week! That's ridiculous!"_

However, she didn't allow Kyoya to see that he had surprised her. "Then I'll make sure I'm not late."

"Very good."

Haruhi took another look around at the troupe. The twins, Kyoya and Mori all seemed to be absorbed in their work. After the rather rude reception, Haruhi thought it might be the better part of valor to leave. They were obviously too stuck-up to be polite to a commoner. Yet she was sure they'd be _more_ than courteous to Ichio's king or princess. The two-faced dichotomy bothered her deeply.

She turned to go, but Honey bounded up to her. He was still in his costume but his too long sleeves didn't conceal the pink stuffed bunny in one hand.

"Haruki! Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going home. I paid what I needed to and apparently no one wants me around."

"Oh! Please stay!" Honey pleaded.

"What am I supposed to do? Just stand here?"

"You can keep Usa-chan company!" Honey presented the bunny to her proudly.

"Um, I don't know—" But Haruhi stopped as she saw the disappointment on Honey's face. She sighed and took the bunny. "I guess I could. It's cute. Kinda reminds me of a stuffed animal I had when I was little."

Haruhi failed to notice the sudden comprehension that dawned on Honey's face. It was as if a lightbulb went off. But Honey covered it up with a grin. "Okay then—have fun!"

With that, he bounced off to help Mori break down the rigging for the backdrop.

Haruhi stood watching the clean-up, wondering if she should offer to help.

"Ah—there's our clumsy debtor," a voice proclaimed from right behind her.

She jumped. "Gah!" She spun around to face Tamaki, who smiled at her.

"My, you are jittery," he commented.

"You snuck up on me," Haruhi retorted.

Tamaki's gaze went to the pink bunny. "I see Honey trusted you with Usa-chan. Perhaps a little unwise, considering your track record," he teased.

"After hearing about the 'interest' on my debt, I'm not planning on messing up anything else."

"If you've already paid your debt, then why are you here? You're welcome to stay of course, but I wouldn't think you'd like to hang around with a bunch of actors."

"Honey asked me to stay. But honestly, I'm feeling a bit useless. Everyone else has something to do. Seems like I should help out," Haruhi said, watching the others continue to break down the set.

"Then come with me! I could use help breaking down the stage," Tamaki said. Haruhi shrugged and followed him.

After seeing Haruhi's willingness to help out, the troupe gradually warmed up to her. Once the clean up was finished, they meandered about the square together—waiting for the troupe's costume designer, Renge, to return from a local shop. Haruhi stayed mostly silent, simply listening to the troupe as they discussed the potential plots for their next performance in the square.

"Renge had a great one called _Arlecchino's Fury,"_ Kaoru said. "It's funny and it gives plenty of stage time to all of us."

"That calls for six or seven parts though. Plus, in order to do that one, we would need a _Columbina_. You two would already have to play the _innamorati_. We just don't have enough actors," Honey said.

"Oh yes we do." Hikaru and Kaoru executed a simultaneous about-face to face Haruhi. "Oh Haruki…"

"What?" Haruhi asked. The twins circled around her.

"He would definitely fit the _Columbina_ costume that Renge messed up. It's too short for us, but he could pull it off," Hikaru noted. The color drained from Haruhi's face.

"What? No! I'm not getting involved in one of your stupid plays!"

"Why not?" Hikaru and Kaoru chorused.

"I just—I just don't do stuff like that!" Haruhi began backing away from the twins, but bumped into Tamaki. She spun around.

"That sounds like more than just a protest," Tamaki said. He put a finger under her chin. "Don't tell me you're just shy about playing _Arlecchino's_ lover."

He winked at her. She flailed away. "No! I don't act!"

"Oh, come on Haruki! It's a silent part! You wouldn't even have to say anything," Tamaki cajoled.

"Yeah, but I'd have to be up on stage doing things!" Haruhi dodged away from the twins and Tamaki.

"You seem to be doing a good enough job right now. In fact, I'd say you were a natural for the part," Kyoya added, his glasses gleaming solid white in the sunlight.

"You can't be serious!"

"Oh pleaaaassseee Haruki! It would be a lot of fun!" Honey exclaimed. "The twins and I could help you!"

Haruhi looked at the ring of faces around her and sighed. "You guys aren't going to let me say no, are you?"

"If you play the part a few times, Haruki, we'll consider your debt paid," Kyoya said.

Haruhi's mouth dropped open. She could pay off the debt of course. But that would take time. And there was always the potential that her benefactor's gifts could end before she could finish repaying the troupe. She didn't want to consider the consequences of that possibility too closely.

"Just a few times?" she asked.

But, her question was ignored and taken as an acceptance.

"Hurrah! We have a _Columbina_!" the troupe chorused.

"Wait—what? I never actually agreed!" Haruhi exclaimed.

"Come with us—you need to try on your costume!" Hikaru said, grabbing Haruhi's arm.

"Yeah—Renge might still have to alter it some before our next performance!" Kaoru said, grabbing her other arm. The two marched off to the wagon with her.

"Here! Try this!" The twins whisked a black and white costume out of the wagon and shoved it at her. She grabbed the costume from them and trudged into the wagon, grumbling. Before changing, she pulled the curtains.

Hikaru and Kaoru looked at the closed curtains, their heads tilting in unison.

"Why would he…There's no one around here…No one's that shy," Hikaru said. They slowly turned to face each other.

"You don't think…"

"Surely not…"

They glanced back at the closed curtain, then at each other. "But it would make sense," they said.

And with that, two more lightbulbs went off.

* * *

Unfortunately, I do not have much written on the next chapter. However, I was able to pull this excerpt!

 _ **"Mori! Help!" Haruhi cried.**_

 _ **Instantly, Mori crossed over to them and snatched Haruhi to safety.**_

 _ **But a realization struck Mori and he paused, leaving Haruhi hanging in midair.**_

 _ **Another lightbulb went off.**_

What did Haruhi need to be saved from? Could it be a anime reference? Check back Thursday or Friday to find out!


	13. Chapter 13: Arlecchino's Lover

Hi guys!

I apologize for being a little late with posting today. I usually post earlier than this, but got behind on this chapter after visiting family.

Again, first thing is review responses!

 **Pinkie Pie Lover 13666** : Thank you so much! Getting reviews from a non-reviewer is a huge compliment! I'm very glad that my story captured such interest.

 **Miss Chantelle** : Fantastic! I'm always happy to see readers keeping up with the story and enjoying it.

As of this week, I have passed the thirty followers mark! I'm so happy to see so many positive responses. I hope everyone continues to enjoy the story and would love to hear your thoughts!

The next post should be around Monday or Tuesday as usual.

Now, to the chapter-in which _Columbina_ debuts!

* * *

Haruhi's stomach lurched in a nauseating twist as she looked out on the crowd in the square.

" _What have I done_?" she thought.

Despite a week of drilling the performance almost daily with the troupe, Haruhi still felt utterly incompetent. No amount of encouragement from Honey or advice from the twins could shake it. She had watched the troupe's court performances with an analytical eye, but to no avail. Each of the performers seemed completely comfortable in their roles. In some cases, it didn't even seem like they were acting. Improvisation came to all of them with a magical ease. On the other hand, Haruhi's attempts at improvisation had all been deemed "stilted" and "boring." So, the troupe had promised that her part would be perfectly planned. That there would be no surprises. Haruhi wasn't sure that she trusted them. She reached up to pat the kerchief covering her head. Her hairpins were still in place. At least even in _Columbina's_ maid costume, her identity was safe.

"Are you ready?" someone asked. Haruhi turned to face Tamaki.

"Um…" Haruhi trailed off.

"You're not nervous, are you?"

Haruhi offered a halfhearted shrug.

"Oh, don't be!" Tamaki exclaimed, clapping an arm about her shoulders. She managed to constrain her reaction to a slight flinch. Her week with the troupe had gotten her a bit more used to the leader's flamboyant personality and his physical demonstrations of camaraderie.

"How exactly am I supposed to do that?" she asked.

"Just don't!" Tamaki proclaimed.

"What?" Haruhi muttered, staring at him in disbelief.

"You just don't let it make you nervous," Tamaki repeated. He pulled down the black half mask and gave her one last bright grin. "See you on stage, _Columbina_!"

Haruhi tried not to groan. "'Just don't be nervous.' He's quite annoying…"

Mori, decked in his uniform for his role as _Il Capitano,_ came over to her. "Nervous?"

Haruhi nodded. "Yeah."

Then, Mori surprised her by offering advice consisting of more words than she had heard him speak all week."Make fists. Squeeze them tight. Then let go," he said.

Haruhi did as he instructed. As she released, she felt the tension ease off. "Hey—it worked! Thanks!"

Mori nodded with a slight smile. He patted her on the head before walking onto the stage. Haruhi watched him go, her head tilting to one side. The silent demeanor definitely made him difficult to read.

Honey soon skipped over with Usa-chan under one arm. "I'm sure you'll do great, Haruki! You can hold Usa-chan for good luck!"

Haruhi took the bunny with an embarrassed smile. Out of all of the performers, Honey had made the best initial impression. He had been encouraging and given advice without being overbearing. His attitude reminded her of a favorite tutor she had had when she was younger.

"Um, thanks Honey."

"You're welcome!" With that, he pranced out onto the stage.

The twins soon sauntered up.

"Hey, Haruki—remember what we told you yesterday," Kaoru said.

"I will," Haruhi said.

"Don't overthink it either. You'll freeze and mess things up," Hikaru added. "You'll make us look bad if you do."

"I'll remember that," Haruhi replied dryly.

After a few short scenes involving the original performers, it came time for Haruhi's act. She took a deep breath.

"Oh, Haruki?" Another voice called out to her. She turned to face Kyoya, who stood on the ground behind the wooden platform.

The illusionist pushed his glasses up with one finger. "Do your best. And remember your debt."

Haruhi offered him a tight smile. "Of course."

Then, she stepped out onto the stage.

The act began with _Arlecchino_ desperately attempting to impress _Columbina_ while the two went about their daily chores for their _innamorati_ master and mistress. Yet, the maid would have none of _Arlecchino's_ over the top displays. After being consistently ignored, _Arlecchino_ slunk off-stage.

 _Columbina's_ chores were soon interrupted again in the kitchen as _Pedrolino_ wandered in. _Pedrolino_ soon broke down in tears—complaining that his master, _Il Capitano_ , was angry with him. _Columbina_ comforted him silently, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. After a few moments of thought, she made a show of whispering something to _Pedrolino_. He brightened and flung his arms around _Columbina's_ neck in gratitude, saying that her scheme would work. He then scurried off to implement her plan as _Columbina_ returned to her work.

Yet, the exchange had been witnessed by _Arlecchino_ , who assumed that _Columbina's_ affections rested with _Pedrolino_. Infuriated, the servant launched into a rage-fueled soliloquy comparing himself to _Pedrolino_ —producing a number of laughs from the crowd. Yet, before he could finish, _Arlecchino's_ master called for him.

The next scene took place in the dining room. As _Columbina_ and _Arlecchino_ served their _innamorati_ master and mistress dinner, _Arlecchino_ snipped at _Columbina_ with spiteful words. Failing to understand _Arlecchino's_ irritation, _Columbina_ shrugged it off and continued serving.

Halfway through the dinner scene, _Il Capitano_ came to the house with _Pedrolino_ following behind him. Upon seeing _Columbina_ , _Pedrolino_ threw his arms around her with glee. This action so upset _Arlecchino_ that he tossed a soup tureen across the room, effectively ruining the dinner. When questioned about his irrational behavior, he jabbed an accusatory finger at _Pedrolino_ and claimed that _Il Capitano's_ servant had stolen _Columbina's_ heart. _Pedrolino_ quickly stepped in to explain that _Columbina_ had helped him win back his master's favor. Realizing his misstep, _Arlecchino's_ mouth dropped open. Gradually, the other performers left the stage, leaving _Arlecchino_ and _Columbina_ alone. _Arlecchino_ attempted to apologize, but _Columbina_ stared at him impassively. He asked if there was _anything_ he could do to make up for it. _Columbina_ folded her arms and nodded towards the soup tureen and its splattered contents. Abashed, _Arlecchino_ went to clean up his mess.

The scene ended to cheers, shouts and thunderous applause. The performers bowed, then stepped off-stage.

Haruhi hardly had a moment to catch her breath. Tamaki instantly caught her in an overenthusiastic embrace and spun her about.

"Haruki! That was perfect! You did wonderfully! You had no reason to be nervous! You're a natural! You were so cute, I thought you actually were a girl!" he cried as he whirled her about.

"Gah! Stop it! Put me down! Let go of me!" Haruhi exclaimed. She spied Mori standing nearby. "Mori! Help!"

Instantly, Mori crossed over to them and snatched Haruhi to safety.

But a realization struck Mori and he paused, leaving Haruhi hanging in midair.

Another lightbulb went off.

"Um, Mori…that was a little overboard," Tamaki commented.

Mori set Haruhi on her feet. He shrugged and walked off.

Now, five lightbulbs burned brightly. This left the sixth lightbulb, which was particularly dim-witted, still unlit and completely unaware of the realization soon to come.

* * *

So, before I get to the excerpt for the next chapter, I have a reader question! Are you guys enjoying the plots for the troupe performances so far? That usually takes a fair bit of work to get down (I've tried to adhere to at least some _Commedia dell'Arte_ elements) and I want to make sure that everyone is happy with them. Post your responses in a review, even if it's a simple 'yes' or 'no.' (though if it's a no, I'd really like to know your thoughts on how they can be improved.)

On to the next chapter's excerpt!

 _ **"Wait—what?" Haruhi exclaimed. Tamaki ignored her protests and steered her over to a knot of young women.**_

 _ **"Well, ladies, here you are. Just remember—mind the cap," Tamaki said with a devilish grin.**_

What has Haruhi gotten pulled into now? Find out on Monday or Tuesday with the next post!


	14. Chapter 14: Exit Columbina Stage Left

Hi guys!

So, apparently the website either decided to eat two of my reviews or stuck them under an invisibility cloak. Or I suppose the review gnome stole them. No matter what browser I use to view the reviews section, I can only see fourteen reviews. However, I did receive an email alert with these reviews. For those of you that are curious (I'm assuming they're not showing up for anyone else), here are the reviews:

 _Aqua Lilly: I love your take on the Ouran cast. I love the humor. Keep up the good work!~_

 _Guest: Thanks for the shoutout for the askblog on here! You're awesome, just like this story! ~Admin MJ_

My responses are:

 **Aqua Lilly:** Thank you so much! Knowing that I have such enthusiastic readers definitely helps keep me going!

 **Guest:** Thanks MJ! Keep up the great work with the blog-it never fails to make me smile!

Fortunately, I have the rough plot outline for the next ten chapters together and should be ahead of the posting schedule this week! At the moment, I'm not sure exactly how many chapters the fic will be, but it will probably be fairly long (likely over forty chapters at least). Essentially, I am happy to keep working in new subplots, side-quests or backstory as long as my readers want more! And I am always incredibly happy to hear opinions or suggestions. In fact, I would love to hear from Mori fans as to what you would like to see in his backstory chapter (I decided that instead of picking and choosing hosts to dedicate a chapter to, I would simply give each host a chapter to themselves). I may not be able to work every suggestion/idea in, but I will try my best!

The next post should be on Thursday or Friday so check back then!

Now, onto the chapter-in which Haruhi discovers her fan club!

* * *

The audience burst into unrestrained applause and cheers as _Columbina_ bowed and traipsed off the stage. Haruhi listened to the ovation with a smile. Her fifth and final performance as _Columbina_ had gone off without a hitch. She had reprised her role in _Arlecchino's Fury_ once before Renge cast her in a new plot. With the initial performance nerves over, Haruhi mastered the new part in two days. However, the audience disliked the act, which involved very little conflict between _Arlecchino_ and _Columbina_. So, a new plot was devised. This act cast _Columbina_ as a much fiercer character, with the maid boldly taking control of chaotic situations and engaging in rough slapstick with the male characters. Their audience adored this feisty role and Haruhi repeated the act for her final performance.

The applause gradually died down as Haruhi went to change back into her commoner's clothes. After changing, she carefully removed _Columbina's_ maid's bonnet and adjusted a few pins in her hair before donning her knitted cap. When she emerged from the wagon, Tamaki dashed over to her.

"Haruki! Come with me!" Without waiting for a response, Tamaki grabbed her arm and led her out from behind the stage.

"Where are we going?"

"To visit with your admirers!"

"Wait—what?" Haruhi exclaimed. Tamaki ignored her protests and steered her over to a knot of young women standing near the stage.

"Well, ladies, here you are. Just remember—mind the cap," he said with a devilish grin. With that, he strode off to greet the other fans thronging the square.

"Oh, Haruki, your performance was so amazing!" one young lady cried.

"You portray _Columbina_ so well! Sometimes you act just like a girl!" another exclaimed.

"Um, thanks," Haruhi replied.

"How do you do it?" the third inquired.

"Well…I just…sort of do it on instinct," Haruhi answered.

"You mean you haven't had any training at all?"

"Not more than what the troupe has given me."

"Oh my gosh, he's a natural—that's so fantastic!" All three chorused gleefully.

Haruhi offered a smile that she hoped didn't look too awkward. "I'm glad you ladies have enjoyed it so much."

"We did! We can't wait to see your next performance!"

Haruhi's face fell. "Oh…my next performance."

"Haruki—what's wrong?"

Haruhi looked at the concerned faces surrounding her and sighed. "Well…today was supposed to be my last performance."

"What? Oh no! It can't be!" the fans cried.

"I didn't think I had that many admirers," Haruhi explained. "I'm sorry—I didn't know it would cause such distress…"

"Please don't leave! You have to reconsider!"

Two right hands clapped on Haruhi's shoulders. "Don't worry, ladies—we'll make sure he reassesses things," two voices chimed in simultaneously from behind her.

"Kaoru, Hikaru, thank you so much!" the first fan exclaimed.

"Please talk some sense into him!" the second said.

"We'll miss him so much if he leaves," the third added.

"We'll handle it," the twins said. They marched her away from the group and back behind the stage.

"What's this about quitting?" Hikaru asked.

"Yeah—you never said anything about that," Kaoru said.

"Um, well, I already worked out a deal with Kyoya. He said if I performed five times, he would consider my debt paid," Haruhi said.

"What?" Hikaru turned to glare at the illusionist. "You let him off with just five performances? What about interest?"

"Haruki has done more than his fair share of work. And, as he has done it in a timely manner, I see no reason to apply interest to his debt," Kyoya replied.

"But he's just going to leave now!" Kaoru complained.

"Leave? Who's leaving?" Honey walked backstage just in time to catch Kaoru's words.

"Haruki! He doesn't want to hang out with us anymore," Hikaru said.

"Hey—it's not like that!" Haruhi exclaimed.

Honey began to tear up instantly. "Haruki—you're leaving? Do you not like us?"

"Of course I do! But my debt is paid—"

"You don't like us!" Honey sobbed. "You don't want to stay!"

"Mitsukuni, what's wrong?" Mori asked as he returned from the wagon.

"Haruki wants to leave! His debt is paid and he doesn't like us enough to stay!" Honey wailed. Mori turn to Haruhi with an unreadable expression.

Haruhi groaned. "Great—I'm suddenly the bad guy," she muttered.

"What are we supposed to do without him?" Hikaru demanded, looking to Kyoya.

"We've gotten along fine with our court performances without him," the illusionist replied.

"That's different! That's work! This is for fun," Hikaru said.

"What in the world is going on?" Tamaki stopped the moment he strode backstage. He took in Honey's tears, Haruhi's defensive posture and the twins' expressions that made them look as if they had been deprived of a new toy.

"Milord, Haruki wants to leave!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"He can't just leave! He's become too important to the show," Hikaru added.

"Make him stay, Tamaki!" Honey cried.

"But I didn't agree to stay on forever!" Haruhi protested.

Tamaki's head tilted to one side. He let out a short sigh. "Well, this is quite a dilemma."

"Huh?" Haruhi glanced to him in surprise.

Tamaki sat on one of the wooden crates nearby, leaned an elbow on the taller crate next to him and propped his chin in his hand. He leveled an even gaze on Haruhi. "A debt agreed upon and paid is paid. You've done exactly as we've asked. We can't demand more than that. However, I don't think any of us anticipated becoming quite as…attached to you as a troupe member as we've become in the past few weeks. I believe Honey and the twins have demonstrated that. And I would be lying if I said I hadn't become very fond of you as well. You've been a fantastic _Columbina_ and an admirable scene partner."

Haruhi blinked. She couldn't believe she was hearing this kind of gravity from the troupe's leader. And for a moment, the simple wooden crates surrounding him seemed like a throne. Something suited to the actor who proclaimed he was a king.

"In the end, I have no control over your actions. You are not under any debt to us. However, I would hope that perhaps for the sake of friendship, you might reconsider. In fact, I humbly petition you to think further on your decision. But whatever your choice, we will always be happy to have you back should you wish to return."

Somehow, this speech guilted Haruhi more than the twins' anger or Honey's tears did. She bowed her head. "I'll reconsider. Could I give you my answer in a couple of days?"

"Of course," Tamaki replied.

"In that case, I will go ahead and excuse myself," Haruhi said. As she walked away, she heard the troupe members talking.

"We won't see him again. You can give it up," Hikaru said.

"Don't be so hasty to assume, Hikaru," Tamaki replied.

"You really think he's not coming back?" Honey asked tearfully.

"Don't hope too much," Mori stated.

#

When Haruhi returned to the castle, she still felt unsettled over the troupe's reaction. She pushed off the thoughts as she snuck back into her chambers.

As soon as she stepped inside her suite, an alien sound met her ears. Well, _two_ alien sounds to be exact. The first was a mechanical thudding chatter. And the second was someone humming a cheerful tune for a gavotte. She walked into a nook off of the sitting room and found Mei working with a piece of fabric and a strange machine.

"What's that?" Haruhi asked.

Mei, having obviously heard her enter the suite, wasn't surprised. But she turned to the princess with a wide smile. "This machine? It's called a sewing machine! It makes stitches in a quarter of the time that someone could by hand! Renge is letting me borrow it until she needs to make more costumes."

"Oh," Haruhi said.

"I've had our court inventor look at the design and he says he thinks he could copy it! I'll be able to make all kind of dresses for you now! I won't have to wait on anyone else to do the work," Mei exclaimed gleefully.

Haruhi tried not to wince. "That's great, Mei."

"Well, how did your performance as _Columbina_ go?" Mei had gradually resigned herself to accepting Haruhi's ventures into town. The lady-in-waiting said that at least Haruhi was with a group that could be trusted. Haruhi had asked her what the troupe had done to win this trust, but Mei never answered.

"It went really well," Haruhi said. She sank down onto a nearby seat.

"If it went so well, then why do you sound unhappy?" Mei asked.

Haruhi sighed. "Today was supposed to be my last performance. It paid my debt. But I've gotten…admirers that were sad when I told them I wouldn't be performing after today. And on top of that, the troupe was actually upset that I was leaving."

"Well what do you expect? You've been with them almost every day for the past few weeks," Mei said.

"But why would they be so attached? It's not like they know the real me," Haruhi said. But as the words left her lips, a thought struck her.

"It doesn't matter. You're not that hard to like if you just wouldn't be so cold," Mei said, examining the stitches she had made in the fabric she was working on. When Haruhi didn't reply, the lady-in-waiting glanced up. "Haruhi—did you hear me?"

But the princess hadn't heard her. And the thought had led to a decision. Haruhi looked directly at Mei. "I want you to set up a meeting with the troupe. Tomorrow. I think they need to meet the princess."

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Who's that?" Honey asked, nodding towards a lady in a pink dress who had just walked into the courtyard.**_

 _ **"I don't know. She must be new," Hikaru said.**_

 _ **"Well then, she should be greeted properly," Tamaki declared. He strode over to the new visitor.**_

 _ **"Good afternoon, my dear lady. How may I—" The troupe leader glanced up and the blood drained from his face as his eyes widened.**_

What's the shock? Why is Tamaki so stunned? Check back Thursday or Friday to find out!


	15. Chapter 15: A Meeting with the Princess

Hi everyone!

Well, good news: I am officially ahead of the posting schedule! It may only be by a chapter right now, but it's progress!

Unfortunately, there are no reviews to respond to this week. I realized that the guest review feature had been toggled off somehow but that should be corrected now. As always, feel free to leave a review! I always want to hear from you guys.

Next post should be Monday or Tuesday.

Now, to the chapter-in which the troupe prepares to meet the princess!

* * *

"A meeting with the princess! I can't believe we finally get to meet her!" Honey danced around the wagon, unable to contain his glee.

"Yeah, we've been here for more than a month and a half. Almost two months. I've never heard of a royal acting so cold," Hikaru said.

"I'm sure she had her reasons for not asking to see us sooner," Tamaki declared.

"By the way, milord, you'll need to make a good impression. Otherwise, your work with the princess will be much more difficult," Kaoru said.

Tamaki grinned tightly at him. "Thank you, Kaoru. I'm quite aware."

"Will Renge be coming with us?" Honey asked.

Kyoya glanced over to a nearby stone bench. Renge and Mei sat together, enthusiastically discussing the newest fashions of the week. "I believe Renge said she needed time to work on new costumes. So I doubt she will come with us," the illusionist said.

"Probably just as well. She might overwhelm the princess," Hikaru said.

"Well, in any case, we have more to get done before visiting the princess," Tamaki said.

"Oh, look! There are our guests!" Honey exclaimed. And right on schedule, the court ladies began to filter into the courtyard. The troupe welcomed them warmly and spread out across the courtyard to greet their favorite guests.

"So, Tamaki, we heard that the troupe has a meeting with the princess today," one of the ladies commented.

"We do. I'm glad to finally be able to meet her personally," Tamaki said.

"I'm surprised she's invited you at all. The princess can be terribly…" one of Tamaki's regular visitors, Momoka Kurakano, trailed off.

"Cold?" another suggested.

"No!" Momoka exclaimed. "That's an awful thing to say about the princess!"

"It's true…" the first lady muttered.

"It's not what I was about to say," Momoka countered. She turned back to Tamaki. "She can be terribly withdrawn. She doesn't typically associate with any of the court much, other than Lady Mei."

"Perhaps she's just shy," Tamaki said.

The court ladies exchanged a look as if this thought had never crossed their minds.

"You know…" the first court lady started. "You may be right."

"After all, we've always thought Lady Mei was—" Momoka began.

"Stuck-up?" The blunt court lady asked.

"—Proud," Momoka finished. She looked towards the other side of the courtyard where Mei sat chatting with the group surrounding the twins. "But look at her now. She's really become quite social."

"I wonder what caused it. It seems like it happened overnight," the first court lady said.

As the debate about Mei continued, Tamaki smiled to himself. He was glad to see that he had already done some good in the castle.

The visiting hour eventually began to wind down as the court ladies left to perform their duties. Yet shortly before the end of the period, a late visitor arrived.

"Who's that?" Honey asked, nodding towards a blonde lady in a pink dress who had just walked into the courtyard.

"I don't know. She must be new," Hikaru said.

"Well then, she should be greeted properly," Tamaki declared. He strode over to the new visitor.

"Good afternoon, my dear lady. How may I—" The troupe leader glanced up and the blood drained from his face as his eyes widened.

"Ma—Majesty!" he stuttered.

Ranka put a finger to his lips with a mischievous grin. "Shh! Don't call me that. I'm here incognito."

Tamaki nodded blankly, unsure of what to do next.

"Go back to your visitors! I'd like to watch for a bit. But after your guests are finished, I want to see everyone in the troupe—together," Ranka directed.

Tamaki nodded again. "Yes—Ma—" he bit off the response as Ranka raised an eyebrow. Without further comment, Tamaki returned to his remaining guests. Ranka contented himself with meandering about the courtyard and observing. Eventually, the incognito queen was approached by Kyoya. The two quickly struck up a discussion that lasted until the final guests left the courtyard.

Tamaki quickly informed the rest of the troupe about the situation and the performers approached Ranka, each offering a slight bow of respect.

"Well, I see you boys have made quite the excellent impression on the female part of my court," Ranka said with a smile.

"I would hope so, Majesty," Tamaki said. "We do our best to make them feel welcome."

"I have also heard that my daughter has arranged to meet all of you today," Ranka continued. The troupe nodded.

"Excellent! That's wonderful to hear. After all, Haruhi can be so…independent. It's rare for her to see anyone outside of Lady Mei," Ranka said. "I hope you'll make as much of an impression on her as you have on the rest of the court."

Tamaki glanced at Kyoya helplessly, waiting for the illusionist to offer a proper response.

"Thank you, Majesty. We're honored to know that you have such faith in our abilities," Kyoya replied smoothly.

"Excuse me, Majesty—" Mei cut in as she approached the group.

"What?" Ranka exclaimed. "Is it that obvious?"

Mei shrugged. "To the rest of the court, Majesty, I doubt it. But I'm afraid I've learned to recognize you in any disguise, Majesty."

Ranka paused, then burst out laughing. "You _are_ Misuzu's daughter! You're more like him than anyone knows!"

Mei blushed, but smiled. "Thank you, Majesty. However, I believe it's time for the troupe's meeting with Princess Haruhi."

"Ah—already? Well, please, don't let me keep you. I would hate to keep Haruhi waiting for her guests. Go ahead, please!" Ranka exclaimed, fluttering his hands in a shoo-ing gesture.

The performers bowed once more to the queen before following Mei out of the courtyard.

Mei led them up a twisting set of stairs and to the east wing of the castle.

"This is the first time the princess has seen anyone personally in quite a while," Mei explained as they walked. "I'm not exactly sure what to expect. However, I'm pretty certain all of you will be doing most of the talking. Princess Haruhi is usually fairly quiet. But feel free to speak as much as you wish. She typically listens to others and comments only when she feels it's absolutely necessary."

"Sounds like a complete bore," Hikaru muttered. Tamaki snapped around to glare at him. The twin shrugged unapologetically.

Mei opened the door to the princess's chambers and ushered them into the sitting room. While the others instantly commented on ornate decor of the room, Tamaki's attention was drawn to a portrait hanging above the fireplace.

The portrait depicted a dark haired woman in a silvery blue dress holding a young girl in a frilly lavender frock. A dainty silver crown glinted on the woman's head. Yet, unlike most serious and stern royal portraits, the woman and the girl were both smiling at the artist. As he looked closer, Tamaki saw a glinting determination and intelligence behind the mirth in the woman's eyes.

"That's Princess Haruhi and the late Queen Kotoko," Mei offered quietly.

"I thought it might have been," Tamaki said. "Queen Kotoko was very beautiful. I would also guess she was quite intelligent."

"She was. Princess Haruhi takes after her. I think the queen would be proud of her," Mei said.

"I'm sure she would be," Tamaki said. He took one more glance at the portrait as Mei bustled about the rest of the room. Something made him offer the late queen a slight bow before he sat down with the others.

A few minutes passed, but the princess did not appear. Mei, obviously surprised at this lateness, popped through the rest of the suite. When she returned, she settled down on a chair with an uneasy smile.

"I'm sure the princess will be with us soon," she said.

And so they waited.

* * *

The next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Watch out!" Kasanoda snatched the youth out of the way before he could be rolled into the fist fight.**_

 _ **The bewildered boy stared at the fight with wide eyes before looking to Kasanoda.**_

 _ **"Um—thank you," the boy said. "That really could have been bad."**_

 _ **"Yeah, it could have," Kasanoda said...**_

Who has Kasanoda saved? What did he save them from? Check back Monday or Tuesday to find out!


	16. Chapter 16: The Commoner and the Bandit

Hi everyone!

Wow-lots of reviews to respond to this week!

 **LazuliLAnime25** : I'm so glad you're enjoying it! Thank you for the review-it's great to hear that this story struck such a chord with you.

 **swimmer1102** : Thank you! I've been trying to incorporate elements of both the manga and anime but in a way that won't make it a carbon copy of the original. It makes me incredibly happy to hear that you think it's a good mix!

 **ChocoStar** : Fantastic! It's awesome to hear from new readers! I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!

 **xosunshinegirlxo** : This comment really made me smile! Thank you so much!

It is really great to hear from everyone. As I've said before, reviews are a huge source of motivation. I can't tell you how much reading these reviews brightens my day. Knowing that people are enjoying this story makes the work worth it. And I am happy to respond to all of it, even if it's just a short comment. If some of you would like to review, but aren't sure where to start, send in your favorite part from the chapter! Something like "I loved it when X happened" or "X made me laugh" is more than enough. Those kinds of reviews also help me get a feel for what my readers like and it can sometimes help shape the story too! After all, my goal is to make you guys happy!

I am still ahead of the posting schedule, which is good news! The next post will be on Thursday or Friday as usual.

So, for our next chapter-in which a commoner has a run-in with a bandit!

* * *

Ritsu Kasanoda meandered about the streets of Shikanai, utterly bored. After Tamaki had requested that Kasanoda and his gang forgo thieving for their stay in Shikanai, Kasanoda's men had obtained jobs around the city. However, Kasanoda had been unable to find work. Each shop seemed to shut down instantly as soon as he approached. He didn't understand why. His face couldn't be that terrifying…could it?

He eventually wandered through the maze of alleys to a busy thoroughfare. Kasanoda recognized the thoroughfare as part of the market. However, the shops never seemed to stay in the same place. How did anyone find anything in this place? He stepped into the crowd, expecting to be buffeted by the sea of bodies passing through. Yet no one came close to him. Kasanoda shrugged it off and decided to inquire about jobs.

Several petrified storekeepers and stuttered rejections later, Kasanoda slunk into a shadowy side alley. There had to be an easier way to do things than this. Surely someone needed help badly enough that they would ignore his face. He kicked at a pebble on the ground before leaning against a wall to watch the passing crowd.

At the mouth of the alley, a sugared chestnut merchant had set up shop next to a pottery stall. Kasanoda watched as a well-dressed man approached the ceramics booth. The thin shopkeeper smiled greedily and spread his wares in front of the man. The well-dressed man examined a piece, then said something that made the shopkeeper puff up in anger. Kasanoda watched with interest as the shopkeeper argued with his customer. He could only assume the customer had insulted the shopkeeper's goods. Eventually, the shopkeeper stepped out from behind his stall and jabbed a finger at the well dressed man. Knowing the signs of a brewing brawl, Kasanoda approached the opening of the alley. A scrawny youth with a knitted cap stood at the chestnut vendor's stall, apparently oblivious to the impending fight at the next booth. The youth was attempting to balance several bags of sugared chestnuts.

Suddenly, the well dressed man swung at the shopkeeper wildly. The shopkeeper dodged with surprising agility and returned with a slapping blow to the man's face. The customer charged the shopkeeper and the two began to fall off balance—right towards the capped youth.

"Watch out!" Kasanoda snatched the youth out of the way before he could be rolled into the fist fight.

The bewildered boy stared at the fight with wide eyes before looking to Kasanoda.

"Um—thank you," the boy said. "That really could have been bad."

"Yeah, it could have," Kasanoda said as he watched several good samaritans pull the brawling men away from each other. He glanced to the boy and saw a set of large brown eyes looking up at him.

" _Gosh…this kid looks like a girl,"_ he thought. He quickly shook off the thought.

"Uh—try to be more aware of your surroundings," he suggested.

The boy nodded. "I will be. Thank you—um, well, I never caught your name…" He trailed off, looking at Kasanoda questioningly.

Kasanoda blinked. The youth didn't seem to be afraid of him. How? Everyone was terrified of him. He began to reply with his real name, then remembered what Renge and Tamaki had said on the way to Ichio. "Cassanova," he replied. "Ritsu Cassanova."

The youth's head tilted to one side. "Like Cassanova from Venenissima?"

"Oh—uh—no. No relation."

"Huh. Ok. I'm Haruki. Haruki Fujimoto," the boy said with a wide smile.

"Nice—nice to meet you," Kasanoda stuttered.

"Would you like some sugared chestnuts? It's the least I can do to thank you for saving me," Haruki said.

"Um—uh—sure." Kasanoda took a couple of the chestnuts and crunched down on one cautiously. He blinked in disbelief. "They're delicious."

"They're only in season for a little while here. You'll want to get some while you can," Haruki said.

Kasanoda was about to reply when the chimes of the city clocktower interrupted him. Haruki's eyes widened.

"Oh my gosh! I'm late! Um—thanks again Cassanova!" With that, Haruki hurried away, leaving Kasanoda staring after him.

#

Haruhi rushed back to the castle, trying not to spill her chestnuts as she ran. She had only meant to be out for a couple of hours—just long enough to buy sugared chestnuts for the troupe since they all said they had never had them. But the chestnut vendor had been almost impossible to find today and Haruhi had gotten lost twice on the way. Now, she was late for her meeting. How would she ever explain this to Mei? More importantly, how would she ever make it into her chambers to change out of her commoner's clothes?

She reached the castle in record time and scampered up to her suite. In front of the main door, she paused, taking a deep breath. Mei would probably be in the sitting room with the troupe. If she could sneak past the sitting room entrance to her room, she could change. With one more deep breath, she balanced the bags of chestnuts in one arm and carefully pushed the door to her chambers open.

As expected, Mei was in the sitting room with the troupe. The lady-in-waiting was facing the door and saw it open. Mei made a silent gesture of irate inquiry. Haruhi shrugged and put a finger to her lips. Cautiously, Haruhi slipped the chestnuts into an ornate bowl on the entryway table. They clinked, but not enough to draw attention. She smiled in silent triumph. Now, just to sneak past the sitting room entrance.

Mei fortunately picked up on the deception quickly and directed the troupe's attention to something invisible out the window. Haruhi took the chance and began to shuffle past the entrance. But one of the troupe hadn't been distracted so easily.

Someone grabbed Haruhi's shoulder and spun her about.

"What are you doing sneaking into—" Tamaki demanded. Yet as he saw her, his blue eyes widened. "Haruki? What are you—"

"Unhand her!" Mei exclaimed.

"Her?" Tamaki echoed. Haruhi winced.

"Yes! That's the princess!" Mei declared.

Tamaki turned lily-white in seconds. "The…the princess?"

* * *

And our next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Tamaki stared at person in front of him, trying to process the new information. Everything he knew about this person was wrong. He was in fact a she. And she was the princess. The princess he was supposed to impress.**_

 _ **His stomach dropped in a nauseating flip. What had he done?**_

Well, how will Tamaki respond to this problem? Will he be able to recover? Or will the jester make an absolute fool of himself? Check back Thursday or Friday to find out!


	17. Chapter 17: Tea with the Princess

Hi everyone!

Hope I didn't keep you all in too much suspense between updates! First, I have more reviews to respond to in this post!

 **LazuliLAnime25** : I appreciate the gratitude so much and I promise the cliffhanger gets resolved in this chapter!

 **swimmer1102** : Oh yes-the last chapter had to be a cliffhanger. I don't usually like ending on cliffhangers because it can seem like unnecessary reader-baiting. But, I tried combining the last chapter with this chapter and it just didn't work.

 **Guest** : Thank you so much! I will absolutely keep going-especially with encouragement like this!

It's awesome to see returning reviewers and guest reviewers! As I've said before, I love hearing from you guys!

Unfortunately, I am not ahead of the posting schedule as far as written chapters go. However, I have outlined and written descriptions for chapters eighteen to forty-two. Which means that this fic will have forty-two total chapters that I know of and an unknown number of chapters past that to get to the ending I have in mind. So far, I still have a number of ideas that haven't been incorporated into the outline, which means more chapters for you guys! I will continue to provide updates on the tentative number of chapters as I outline.

So, on to the next chapter-in which the troupe is reeling from this new revelation and a cliffhanger is resolved!

* * *

Tamaki stared at person in front of him, trying to process the new information. Everything he knew about this person was wrong. _He_ was in fact a _she._ And _she_ was _the_ princess. _The_ princess he was supposed to impress.

His stomach dropped in a nauseating flip. What had he done?

"I'm so sorry, Your Highness!" He exclaimed, flinging himself down at the princess's feet. "Can you find it in your heart to forgive me for my idiocy?"

"Um, you don't have to be so dramatic. It was a simple mistake. And you were doing it with good intentions," the princess said. Tamaki looked up at her, utterly tongue-tied.

"But—you—you mean you're—you don't—" he stammered.

"It's okay. Really. And please, you don't have to grovel on the floor like that. I'm not angry," Haruhi said.

Tamaki rose from the floor, a brilliant red blush rushing across his face. "Thank—thank you, Highness."

And he stood there, frozen in his embarrassment as the final lightbulb flipped on.

Haruhi turned to the rest of the troupe. Save for Kyoya, the color had drained completely from their faces. Mei crossed her arms, shaking her head.

Hikaru looked at the princess once more, then blurted out, "We knew you were a girl, but _the princess_?"

Haruhi offered a grin to Mei. "Well, I guess that shows how good of a disguise it was."

Mei made a face at her before sitting down on a nearby settee. "Kyoya, you don't seem surprised," she said.

"I'm afraid I'm not. I always make sure to do my research. It didn't take much to figure out what was going on. I knew Haruki Fujimoto was actually the princess from the first time 'he' appeared at our performance," Kyoya explained with a smug smile.

This statement broke Tamaki from his frozen state. The troupe leader dashed over to the illusionist and loomed over him.

"What? Why didn't you tell me?" Tamaki demanded. "Didn't I have a right to know? And you asked for a debt payment—from _the princess_?"

"If I had acted any differently, Princess Haruhi might have become concerned that her identity had been compromised. I had no intention of revealing it to anyone so I saw no reason to cause unnecessary distress. By the way, Your Highness, I would be happy to return the eight ziens you gave us now that things have been cleared up." Kyoya looked to the princess with as much deference as he could manage for royalty. Which in Kyoya's case, after years of dealing with Tamaki, wasn't much.

"Uh, no, keep them. It's not that big of a deal," Haruhi said.

Tamaki, however, thought differently. He leapt around to Kyoya's side on the small couch, grabbed the illusionist by the shoulders and shook him. "You demanded a debt! From royalty! Whom we're working for! And you—didn't— _tell—me?_ "

Kyoya was completely unfazed by his leader's reaction. "I assumed you would figure it out. After all, shouldn't royalty be able to recognize royalty? You _are_ king of our acting troupe."

Tamaki's eyes narrowed as his face fell into an irked pout. He released Kyoya. "We will discuss this later."

"I knew Haruki was more than just a commoner. I would have never guessed she was the princess though. Maybe a duchess," Honey, now sufficiently recovered from the initial shock, chimed in.

"How so?" Haruhi asked.

"You were so polite," Honey replied.

Haruhi smiled awkwardly. She knew it was meant as a compliment, but the reversed implications of said compliment were a bit rude to commoners. "Oh—thanks…"

"Haruhi, we should serve the tea," Mei reminded her.

"Of course," Haruhi said. She glanced about at the troupe. "does anyone mind if I serve tea like this? It'll be quicker than trying to change."

The performers all shook their heads.

"Thank you. I'll just be a second." Haruhi walked out of the room. She returned a moment later, hair unpinned, cap in one hand and the bags of sugared chestnuts tucked under her other arm. Tamaki realized exactly why she had been so protective of the cap as Haruki. A few dislodged pins would have meant a quickly spilled secret.

"I picked up some sugared chestnuts in town since no one has ever had them. They just came into season a few weeks ago. Please, feel free to try them," Haruhi said as she sat down. She immediately began helping Mei pour the tea into ornate china cups. The performers accepted their tea and Honey was the first to try the chestnuts. He immediately declared them one of the best treats he had ever had and convinced the others to try them. From there, Kyoya managed to steer the conversation with a few comments from a still slightly shaken Tamaki. The twins recovered much later, but were both soon back to joking around before the tea was finished. Mori stayed silent as usual—making it hard to tell if the revelation had been a shock to him or not.

As tea began to wind down, one question still stood in the performers' minds that Honey eventually voiced.

"So, Princess Haruhi—" he started.

"Haruhi, please. I don't see a point in throwing around titles," Haruhi said.

"Does this mean you won't be able to to perform as _Columbina_ again?" Honey asked.

Haruhi paused, apparently thinking. Then, she smiled. "Well, I suppose since my secret is out now, it wouldn't really matter if I continued performing, would it?"

Mei sighed and covered her eyes with one hand as the performers all agreed enthusiastically.

"Lady Mei, if you're concerned about Haruhi's wellbeing or her secret, I can assure you that she will be in quite safe hands," Kyoya said.

"Of course! We will _never_ reveal Haruhi's secret! We'll take it to our graves!" Tamaki jumped up from the couch and struck a dramatic pose. "Right, men?"

"Right!" the rest of the troupe chorused.

"You'd have to be ready to protect her too," Mei said.

"Mei!" Haruhi exclaimed indignantly. "I have been in the city by myself before. I was fine then."

"But no one knew you were the princess then," Mei argued. "Since they know now, they need to be prepared."

"I can handle myself," Haruhi shot back.

"Haruhi, while I'm sure you would have no issues in the city, I believe Mei has a point. After all, if we found out about your secret so easily, then there's nothing to say that others couldn't follow the same logic," Kyoya stated calmly.

Haruhi sighed. "I guess…"

"Honey and Mori would be quite capable of handling any situation that required…less than diplomatic intervention. They are both quite skilled at swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat," Kyoya explained.

Haruhi glanced over to the cheery blond and his taciturn companion. "Really?"

"Of course! Fight scenes in plays have to be accurate, after all!" Honey chirped.

Mei stood and paced the room. "Well…I suppose as long as you can keep her safe.."

"You have our word," Tamaki declared.

Mei nodded. "Thank you."

Seeing that the lady-in-waiting's worries had been eased, the troupe burst into excited chatter.

"Yay! We have our _Columbina_ back!" Honey exclaimed.

"We'll let Renge know first thing so she can plan a new act," Hikaru said.

"The audience will love having you back," Kaoru said.

"We'll plan a grand return to the stage for you!" Tamaki spread his arms wide, mind already spinning with the possibilities.

Haruhi's initial smile fell a bit. "Um, Tamaki—don't do too much—"

"Oh it won't be too much! How could it ever be too much?" Tamaki gushed.

It soon became apparent that planning for _Columbina's_ return was much more than could be accomplished in one afternoon. The troupe agreed that they would meet Haruhi again soon to practice. With that, the performers began to leave for their evening rehearsals. But, before Tamaki left, he paused in front of Mei and Haruhi.

"As the troupe's leader, it would be horribly rude for me to leave without presenting some sort of token of our appreciation. And I think I have something for you both," he said. He reached into one sleeve and produced another yellow rose, which he gave to Mei. Then, he twisted his hands together and revealed a white rose, which he gave to Haruhi. "Thank you so much for this lovely afternoon."

"Of course!" Mei exclaimed.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Haruhi added.

Tamaki offered a brilliant smile to them both before stepping out of the suite.

"Well, that was unexpected," Mei remarked in the following silence.

"What was?" Haruhi asked.

"Um, the entire troupe finding out you're the princess? And how did they know you were a girl if you were posing as Haruki?" Mei asked.

Haruhi shrugged. "I don't know."

She absent-mindedly set her white rose on the sideboard. "I guess I should be getting ready for tonight…"

But as Haruhi headed for her bedroom, Mei didn't follow her. The princess turned back to see her lady-in-waiting holding both the white and the yellow roses. "Mei?"

"I'll be there in a minute! I need to put these in water," Mei said.

Curious, Haruhi followed Mei halfway to the nook Mei used as a sewing room. Inside, Haruhi saw two vases. One held three yellow roses. The other held two white roses.

"Where did those come from?" Haruhi asked, gesturing to the flowers.

"They're from Tamaki—they're all the roses he gave us at the performances! Aren't they amazing? This one," Mei pointed to one of the yellow roses. "is from the first night that the troupe performed."

"What but that was—"

"I know! Weeks ago! They don't wilt! As long as they have water, they stay like this," Mei explained as she tucked the new roses into their respective vases.

Haruhi's held tilted to one side as she stared at the roses. They had to be enchanted. But Haruhi was sure all of the troupe's magic had been parlor tricks—not _real_ magic. Yet this new development meant something else entirely. Haruhi simply wished she knew _what_ it meant.

* * *

So, the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Misuzu watched as Ranka strode over to the window.**_

 _ **"I wouldn't be so sure," Misuzu said. "After all, she is Kotoko's daughter."**_

 _ **The slightest sign of a wince passed over the queen's face.**_

 _ **Misuzu took a few steps towards him. "She's always been Kotoko's daughter. She's just like her."**_

 _ **"Well, perhaps not just like her," Ranka said as he stared out the window. **_

Misuzu fans rejoice! But what is the queen discussing with his most trusted advisor? And what has Haruhi done to inspire such a comment?


	18. Chapter 18: The Queen and His Advisor

Hi everyone!

Hope everyone is doing well! Review responses are first as usual!

 **swimmer1102:** I hope that's a happy stunned silence! Glad to see you're back!

I'm still not ahead of the posting schedule. However, I should be ahead of schedule after this post! Next update will be Thursday or Friday as usual! Also, I apologize for not mentioning the next update in the last post. If it happens again, assume the schedule will continue as usual!

Now, onto the chapter-in which the queen has a discussion with his closest advisor!

* * *

"You know, I'm terribly worried about Kazukiyo. He's been so anxious lately," Misuzu commented as he flitted about the monarch's chambers.

Ranka perched his chin in his hand and leaned against his desk as he watched the advisor adjust the decorations in the room. "Isn't he always anxious?"

"Well, yes. But more so than usual," Misuzu replied. "I do wonder what it's about."

"He appears to be quite nervous around Miss Kurakano. Or so it seems," Ranka said.

Misuzu turned to the queen with a glimmer in his eye. " _Ah_! _That's_ what it is then? Then I'll have to see what I can do about putting them together more often!"

Ranka chuckled a bit as Misuzu jumped into the role of court matchmaker.

"Perhaps we should host some games for the court. It would be good for morale and more than enough to spark young spirits to action. You remember it's how I finally won over Misaki—during that game of Swap Seats?" Misuzu asked.

"How could I forget? You gallantly gave up your chair for her after all guests wearing blue were asked to change places…but you were wearing green," Ranka said with a smile.

"What can I say? She was worth it."

A knock came at the chamber door.

"Enter!" Ranka called.

Yuko Kousaka opened the door and stepped into the chambers with a small curtsey.

"Your Majesty—I have a matter to discuss with you. Urgently," she said.

"Go on, Yuko. Misuzu and I have no secrets," Ranka said.

Yuko cast a rather irritated look at the queen's primary advisor. Misuzu smiled sweetly at her in return.

Yuko cleared her throat. "I have reason to believe that Princess Haruhi is leaving the castle without a chaperone. At that, she may be leaving disguised as a commoner."

Ranka's expression didn't change. He nodded. "Well then, I will look into the matter personally."

"Majesty, I am more than capable of investigating the issue. With your permission of course," Yuko replied.

"I'd much rather look into this myself. But, thank you very much for informing me," the queen said.

Yuko dipped into another brief curtsey. "Absolutely Majesty."

Seeing that her discussion with Ranka was obviously finished, Yuko headed for the door. Yet, before she left, she paused. "Majesty, my apologies for interjecting into the matter. But, I am attempting to ensure that Princess Haruhi is acting as a royal of marriageable age."

"I know, Yuko. You are fulfilling your duty. But I promise it is no trouble for me to handle this," Ranka assured her.

"Very good, Majesty." Yuko bobbed once more before exiting the chambers.

"Why did you ever take that woman on? She's colder than ice!" Misuzu exclaimed after he was sure that Yuko would be out of earshot.

"She had excellent recommendations from the King of Monaru. Apparently, the princess was married early last year," Ranka explained.

"Hmph—Princess Michelle? Good thing too! She would _never_ have gotten married otherwise," Misuzu exclaimed. "The girl needed all the help she could get."

"I suppose so…"

"But Ranka, don't you see that Haruhi doesn't need help?"

Ranka glanced up at his advisor. "She doesn't?"

"No—of course she doesn't! She's beautiful and intelligent and kind! What she needs is for the right mate to come along. One that's not terrified of her brains and beauty and will allow her to think and act for herself."

"Misuzu, that's a difficult proposition. I'm getting old—"

"I'm already old!"

Ranka grimaced at him and stood from the desk. "I'm getting old and I won't be able to rule forever. As much as I wish I could, I can't simply make Haruhi the sole ruler. Ichio hasn't had a solitary queen in over two hundred years. And then, the king had been killed in battle and the queen assumed the throne and led Ichio to victory in the war. It happened under special circumstances. And I don't know that the people will accept a lone queen without such a scenario."  
Misuzu watched as Ranka strode over to the window.

"I wouldn't be so sure," the advisor said. "After all, she is Kotoko's daughter."

The slightest sign of a wince passed over the queen's face.

Misuzu took a few steps towards him. "She's always been Kotoko's daughter. She's just like her."

"Well, perhaps not _just_ like her," Ranka said as he stared out the window.

"What do you mean?"

"If Yuko is right and Haruhi is sneaking out of the castle, then how is she doing it?" Ranka asked. He turned to eye Misuzu suspiciously.

The advisor held up his hands. "Oh-hoho, don't look at me! I know what it takes to sneak a royal out of the palace. I wouldn't do it again—not at this age at least!"

Ranka laughed a bit. "Well, then could it be Mei?"

"No—never. Mei is too cautious. She would never flaunt the rules like that."

Ranka sighed. "Then who could it be? She has to be getting help from somewhere."

"You know, Mei has been spending a great deal of time with our acting troupe," Misuzu began.

"Do you think they could have something to do with it?" Ranka glanced to his advisor curiously.

"They might."

Ranka turned back to the window with a smile. "Then perhaps it's time I visited the city. After all, I haven't seen any of the troupe's performances there."

Misuzu brightened. "Excellent idea! I will inform the servants and we will head out tomorrow!"

With that, the king's advisor strode out of the chambers. However, he failed to notice the tip of a black cloak that whirled around the corner as he made his exit.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Highness, I would advise you not to visit the city today," Nekozawa said.**_

 _ **"Why?" Haruhi looked to the duke curiously.**_

 _ **"I have reason to believe it will be…unlucky."**_

What negative omen has Nekozawa seen? And will Haruhi listen to the dark duke or will ill fortune befall her? Check back Thursday or Friday to find out!


	19. Chapter 19: The Duke's Troubles

Hi everyone!

I hope you've all been doing well! Review responses for this post are...

 **Little Bird:** Thank you so much! It always brings a smile to my face to know that my readers look forward to the new updates! As for Haruhi finding out about Tamaki's true identity, that will take _quite_ some time. But, when it does...be prepared.

 **lillyannp: "** Perfect?" That's quite a compliment! Oh my goodness, thank you!

 **swimmer1102** : Fantastic! I'm so glad you're happy with it! Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!

 **Jessi . DarkFox:** Oh please, don't apologize! I'm simply glad to receive your reviews. That's awesome that you enjoyed Chapter 9 and Chapter 18 so much. May this chapter be just as interesting! And it's great to hear from you again!

I just want to say a HUGE thank you to all of my reviewers from the last chapter. I had unexpected hard drive issues with my laptop on Monday (caused by an unscheduled operating system update that failed and messed up the drive). As I hadn't backed up in a couple of months, I was fairly certain I was going to lose all of my files (including a 50,000 word Camp Nanowrimo project completed in April and all of my outline notes and random scenes for later chapters for this fanfic). Fortunately, I was able to manage a workaround that allowed me to access my hard drive and copy all of my files to an external drive. However, the whole situation was _incredibly_ stressful over both Monday and Tuesday. Reading such wonderful reviews helped me IMMENSELY. But, don't make the same mistake I did! Go back up your files now! Back them up while you're reading!

I'd also like to introduce something new here! Each post, I will ask a question for my readers to answer. But absolutely no pressure-only answer if you want to! This is just to satisfy my curiosity and to help me get a better feel for my readership. Thanks for Jessi . DarkFox for inspiring this post's question! **So guys, what is your favorite chapter so far?**

Unfortunately, due to my technical issues, I'm still not ahead of the posting schedule. In fact, this chapter was written on Wednesday afternoon and turned out to be a bit of a surprise. I had only planned it as a single scene that would be combined with the next chapter. However, the characters felt differently and produced an entire chapter! But, the next update should still be on Monday or Tuesday as usual.

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a certain duke is _quite_ worried.

* * *

Umehito Nekozawa, Second Duke of Tokare and self-proclaimed dark mage, crept through the shadows of the palace, attempting to calm his uneasy mind. While slinking about in the shadows was not unusual for him, the anxiety was quite unusual.

" _Surely the troupe won't perform today. They don't perform every day in the city. The queen's visit will be for naught. There's no reason to worry,"_ he thought. But the anxiety persisted. And Nekozawa knew he _had_ to know if the troupe planned to perform in the city today.

He hurried to a secret passage, cast a glance around to ensure no one was watching and opened it. He summoned a tiny blue ghost-light to his fingertips and plunged into the blackness.

The castle at Shikanai concealed a vast maze of dark secret passages and silent hidden rooms. The palace's original architect was a distant relation of the Nekozawa family. Thus, knowledge of the hidden ways of the castle had been passed through the bloodline and jealously guarded. This knowledge had given the Nekozawas a certain amount of power among the royal lines that came and went in Ichio. But, since the ascent of the Fujioka line to the throne, such knowledge was utilized out of loyalty rather than a desire for political leverage. The Nekozawas were considered the ghost-guardians of the Fujioka lineage. Should the monarch or their family need _anything_ done in the cover of night and silence, the Nekozawas would take care of it. If the castle came under siege, it fell to the Nekozawas to escort the royals to safety. And if another black mage came in challenge to the sovereign, a Nekozawa would accept the duel. Fortunately, such machinations had not been necessary in quite some time.

But, since the princess's acceptance of Kirimi as her junior lady-in-waiting, Nekozawa felt he owed personal loyalty to Haruhi beyond his familial duty. As such, he had provided her with a small allowance in defiance of Yuko's orders and made certain she was never hindered in leaving or entering the palace. But, after eavesdropping on the queen's conversation with Misuzu, he knew today might pose a terrible risk.

He emerged from the musty darkness of the secret passages and into the Spy's Courtyard. Carefully, he edged toward a shadowed nook, shading his eyes against the dim rays of the sun. He could see the acting troupe bunched together in the courtyard. A frown rose to his lips. He had been well-informed about all of the performers even before their arrival in Shikanai. His source had contacted him before the troupe had even reached the countryside of Alsance. Since their arrival, Nekozawa had observed them from the shadows. They all seemed to be just what his source had told him. But, two of the members of this troupe still concerned him.

The bespectacled illusionist was a fairly powerful mage in his own right. Nekozawa knew all too well that mages were dangerous. However, this one could be even more treacherous as his loyalty lay with another individual—the troupe's leader.

The "king" of the acting troupe troubled Nekozawa greatly. He seemed innocent enough, but people were rarely what they appeared to be. Nekozawa had been assured that the leader's intentions were good. He trusted his source, but he still wished to conduct his own inquiry. After all, what kind of man hid his true position from an entire royal court?

Nekozawa pushed off his misgivings. It would do him no good to act on them now. What he needed at this moment was information. He strained to hear the conversation.

"So we have everything for the performance today?" the leader asked.

"Yep! I can't wait to see the audience's reaction when _Columbina_ returns to the stage!" the short blonde one chirped.

"Shh! Not so loud! You don't want people figuring out who _Columbina_ really is, do you?" one of the twins hissed.

At that, Nekozawa blanched. He had known that the princess was performing with the troupe as Haruki Fujimoto. But for the troupe to know her _true_ identity? His stomach twisted. This was going to be far more problematic than he had ever predicted.

In any case, there was no time to lose. He had to warn her to stay in the castle.

He dashed back to another secret passage and frantically sprinted through the winding ways. He emerged in the Great Hall.

"The princess—have you seen her?" he demanded from one of the footmen in the hall.

"No, Your Grace."

"Is the queen still preparing to visit the city today?"

"I believe so, Your Grace."

Nekozawa didn't pause to reply. Instead, he headed for the library.

The library was empty and Nekozawa didn't see her in the courtyard it looked down upon. Anxiety now at a fever-pitch, the duke rushed to the princess's chambers. He didn't bother with formality and instead burst in the door.

"What the—Duke Nekozawa?" Mei exclaimed as he charged in.

"The princess! I need to speak with Her Highness—urgently!"

"She's here—what's the fuss?" Mei asked.

"News—for her ears only," Nekozawa replied.

Mei nodded, apparently still mystified. "I'll let her know that you're here."

Nekozawa took a few deep breaths and straightened his hood as he waited in the empty room. Even with such news, he needed to be presentable.

Princess Haruhi emerged from her chambers a moment later. Nekozawa bowed to her.

"Nekozawa, what's the sudden excitement?" she asked.

"Highness, I would _strongly_ advise you not to visit the city today."

"Why?"

"I have reason to believe it will be…unlucky."

Nekozawa saw the skepticism in her eyes. "What makes you believe that?"

He shuffled, unsure of how to respond. He couldn't reveal that he had been eavesdropping on the queen. Doing so would be tantamount to admitting his interference in her affairs. "I am certain of it, Highness."

Haruhi sighed. "I need a reason. It's very important that I visit the city today."

At Nekozawa's silence, Haruhi turned away. "I'm sorry, Nekozawa. I have no choice but to go."

"Please Highness! Take caution with your performance. It could go very poorly," Nekozawa pleaded.

Haruhi paused and glanced back to him. "How do you know about that?"

"Kirimi, Highness. I begged her to tell me," Nekozawa admitted.

"In that case, I promise that you have nothing to worry about. The performance will be fine," Haruhi said. "But, thank you for your concern."

"Yes Highness…" Nekozawa mumbled. He offered her another bow as she returned to her chambers. With that, he sighed and slipped off to the library to await news of the performance's fate.

* * *

For all of the Nekozawa fans out there, the duke will be making appearances at fairly regular intervals, so expect to see him again!

Next chapter's excerpt is...

 _ **Haruhi's eyes widened. The dancing step she had practiced at least a hundred times turned into an instant stumble. And that stumble sent her careening towards the front edge of the stage. The audience gasped.**_

What caused Haruhi's stumble? Will Nekozawa's prediction come true? Will misfortune reign? Check back Monday or Tuesday to find out!


	20. Chapter 20: The Prodigal Returns

Hi everyone!

I am pleased to announce that after this unexpected break, we are back to business as usual! I was mostly over my virus by Wednesday, but unfortunately the other computer I was going to use refused to recognize the flash drive I had saved this fanfic to. Which meant I had to wait for my new laptop, which arrived Thursday afternoon. Hopefully, we will be back to a normal schedule soon! I want to give huge shoutouts and thank-yous to **Little Bird** , **Animegirl1243** , **Sheepgirl418, KindaSortaAwkward, lillyannp** and **swimmer1102**. You're all sweethearts for sending such awesome get-well messages.

Now, review responses from Chapter 19:

 **Aqua Lilly:** Oh yes, chaos has to occur! Can't have royalty in a city without _something_ going wrong! And I hope I didn't miss a _Harry Potter_ reference spurred by Chapter 14!

 **Jessi .** **Darkfox** : Well, Haruhi may get herself into trouble. But, she does have to find a way out of it! I'd be totally out of the spirit of the anime and manga if she didn't!

And this week's reader question is... **Who is your favorite _Le Triomphe de la Comédie character?_** Is it the silent _Il Capitano_? The spritely _Pedrolino_? The squabbling _inammorati?_ The cheerful _Arlecchino_? Or could it be brilliant _Columbina_? Answer in a review if you wish! And remember-your favorite _Comedie_ character doesn't necessarily have to be your favorite host!

The next post should be on Monday as usual though I'm not ahead of the posting schedule. I'm currently trying to work out an appropriate posting schedule for next week due to this week's delay, but that will be included in the next update!

So onto the next chapter...in which a prodigal son (or daughter rather!) returns!

* * *

"Come all! Come all! _Le Triomphe de la Comédie's_ special performance will commence at the start of the hour!" Hikaru called out to passersby in the square. Yet, the proclamation wasn't necessary. In truth, it was given just to see how many people would join the giant crowd thronging the troupe's stage.

In the past week, posters had gone up all over the city about the troupe's "grand new performance." And such promises had easily drawn people to the square—newcomers and seasoned spectators alike.

As the last chimes of the clock striking the hour quieted, Tamaki walked out onto the stage. He looked over the crowd with a smile.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sure you're all quite curious about what all of this fuss is about. I must confess that like _Arlecchino_ , I'm terrible at keeping secrets." The audience laughed a bit. _Arlecchino's_ loose tongue had caused mayhem in far more than one play. Tamaki shrugged with another brilliant grin. "And I can't keep this secret any longer! I am proud to say that today sees the return of a beloved performer. I give you… _Columbina_!"

One of Kyoya's carefully crafted effects flashed then released a thick plume of white smoke at the center of the stage. When the smoke cleared, Haruhi stood on the stage in her _Columbina_ costume.

The audience burst into an uproar of cheers. Above it all, the girlish shrieks of Haruki Fujimoto's fan club could be heard. Haruhi smiled, minced about the stage a bit in dancing steps and offered a bow. The audience's cheers grew louder. She bowed twice more before stepping backstage. The audience murmured disappointedly.

"Now now," Tamaki said. " _Columbina_ will be back soon! Without further ado, we present _The Portrait_."

With that, Tamaki left the stage.

The play opened with Kaoru, playing a male _innamorata_ named _Flavio_ , painting away at a canvas in his home. He was soon revealed to be a lesser nobleman that kept one manservant: _Arlecchino._ Hikaru, playing the nobleman's fiancee _Isabella_ , soon flounced in, followed by her maid _Columbina_. The lovers exchanged overdone displays of affection while _Arlecchino_ gleefully pranced about _Columbina_. But suddenly, _Isabella_ caught a glimpse of the painting. The fiancee tore the painting from the easel and held it up for all to see. It was a portrait of another woman.

Sensing an argument on the near horizon, _Arlecchino_ and _Columbina_ excused themselves. However, they stood just outside the room to eavesdrop.

The ensuing argument was vicious. Every one of _Flavio's_ attempts to explain the portrait were ignored. _Isabella_ eventually snatched the painting up from the easel and threatened to destroy it. _Flavio_ protested, which only spurred _Isabella's_ rage. _Isabella_ removed a silver posey ring and threw it at _Flavio_ , bewailing the apparent faithlessness and declaring an end to their relationship. Finally, _Isabella_ hurried off the stage, weeping tears of betrayed anger while _Flavio_ walked off the other way in irate frustration.

 _Arlecchino_ and _Columbina_ slowly walked back into the room. And then, _Columbina_ spoke.

"My mistress…your master…are they truly done with each other?" she asked. A series of shrieks rose up from the audience. _Columbina's_ role had always been mute in past performances. Yet, this new dimension was apparently quite welcome.

 _Arlecchino_ stooped and picked up the silver ring from the floor. "It looks as if it might be so."

This realization quickly sent _Arlecchino_ into a tailspin.

"But they can't be done with one another! If they're done, then we'll never get to see each other again!" He cried. For a moment, _Columbina_ paused as if considering the positive implications of such a scenario.

 _"_ Oh _Columbina!_ " _Arlecchino_ cried petulantly.

He danced about frantically until _Columbina_ rolled her eyes and declared: "Hush, _Arlecchin._ I'm thinking."

At the use of this affectionate nickname, _Arlecchino_ calmed a bit. Then, _Columbina_ snapped her fingers as an idea came to her.

The servants plotted to reunite the lovers through various ploys. Flowers sent from an anonymous source. Love letters penned carefully and sealed with kisses. Yet, each one, for one reason or another, failed.

Finally, _Columbina_ and _Arlecchino_ came across two actors drifting into town: _Il Capitano_ and _Pedrolino_. _Columbina_ instantly devised a plan in which _Il Capitano_ would pose as a rival for the affections of her _innamorata_ mistress. The maid concluded that the ruse would eventually lead to the reconciliation of the lovers in one way or another.

At first, everything ran smoothly. _Il Capitano_ visited the home of the lady with _Pedrolino_ acting as his servant. But soon, _Flavio_ also came to visit with _Arlecchino_ in tow. Upon discovering _Isabella_ with _Il Capitano_ , _Flavio's_ jealousy burst forth. An outright fight began that was so intense, _Il Capitano_ and _Pedrolino_ excused themselves from the house. This left _Arlecchino_ and _Columbina_ flitting about their master and mistress uselessly.

Despite the troupe's efforts at suspending reality, reality soon took a sharp jab at the performance. As the audience laughed at the twins' argument, an ornate gilded coach pulled into the square. Members of the audience turned, then bowed to the coach with wide eyes. Yet, the performers didn't take notice until someone popped their head out of the window of the coach and spoke.

"Oh, don't mind me!" Ranka trilled with a flutter of his hand. "Please do carry on!"

Upon hearing her father's voice, Haruhi's eyes widened. The dancing step she had practiced at least a hundred times turned into an instant stumble. And that stumble sent her careening towards the front edge of the stage. The audience gasped.

Tamaki sprang forward, catching her about the waist before she could tumble off of the stage. For a moment, she hung there—limp from the sudden terror. Tamaki took a moment for both of them to catch their breath. Then, he subtly moved away from the edge of the stage and knelt down as if he had caught her in a swoon. Seamlessly, he transitioned back into the act.

"My lord, my lady! Cease this arguing! You've made _Columbina_ faint!" he proclaimed. He offered _Columbina_ an over-exaggerated wink that could be seen behind the mask. Haruhi gave the slightest of nods and _Columbina_ fell back in a faked swoon, smiling conspiratorially at the audience.

The lovers stopped their argument for a moment to stare at _Arlecchino_.

"Can't you see how you're breaking the hearts of your servants with this fighting?" _Arlecchino_ asked.

 _Isabella_ and _Flavio_ exchanged guilty glances. Yet, the argument simmered a bit with remaining anger until _Columbina_ "came about" and "fainted" again. _Isabella_ hurriedly stated that she would listen to _Flavio's_ defense for the painting—for the sake of her servant of course. _Flavio_ quickly explained that the portrait had been a commission from another nobleman for a painting of his wife. _Isabella_ burst into tears at the misunderstanding. _Flavio_ soothed her and the two embraced. The moment the two made up again and proclaimed their love for one another, _Columbina_ popped back onto her feet as if nothing had happened. And as this final scene ended, the audience applauded and cheered gleefully. None of them were any the wiser as to the sharp unrehearsed turn the play's ending had taken.

Only the queen saw evidence of the improvisation. He watched as "Haruki" emerged from backstage to greet "his" fans. This sight brought a smile to the queen's lips. Satisfied, Ranka tapped on the roof of the carriage in the signal to return to the palace.

As the royal carriage pulled away from the square, Ranka leaned back from the window with a sigh. "I suppose that shows that she's in good hands while she's in the city…She also seems to be enjoying herself."

"I can't believe what a performer she is! She's fantastic! A natural! And did you see how she greeted her fans?" Misuzu bubbled with glee.

Ranka smiled at his advisor's enthusiasm, but the venture into the city hadn't answered all he needed to know.

"Unfortunately, we still haven't answered the question of _who_ is helping her exit the palace," Ranka said.

"You might talk to her, Ranka. She might tell you if you asked," Misuzu suggested.

"That, perhaps, is my only option," the queen replied with another sigh.

* * *

Now, as for that conversation between Haruhi and the queen...

 _ **"Haruhi," Ranka began. "I know that you're visiting the city."**_

 _ **Haruhi's blood ran cold.**_

 _ **"Oh no."**_

How will Ranka handle this? Will Haruhi be allowed out in the city again or are her days as _Columbina_ coming to an end? Check back Monday to find out!


	21. Chapter 21: Like Father, Like Daughter

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well. As usual, I would like to start with review responses!

 **Little Bird** : Thank you very much! And I'm very happy to hear you like _Columbina_! I wasn't sure if her character would mesh with a canon representation of Haruhi, but she seems to be a reader favorite!

 **lillyannp** : _Columbina_ still has much more to do! I'm glad you liked the improvisation so much-I'm trying to keep the performances fresh and interesting!

 **Aqua Lilly** : I agree-things definitely wouldn't be the same without Tamaki being his over-dramatic self! I can promise there will be _much_ more of that.

 **swimmer1102** : Thank you! And yes, the title is French in honor of Tamaki's half-French heritage. From my rather limited knowledge of Spanish and Italian grammar, I managed to piece together what _should_ translate to "The Enchantments of the King" in English. However, I think the word _envoûtement_ may be a touch uncommon compared to other words for spells, charms, magic etc. But, the more common terms didn't seem to flow as well to me. If any French-speakers have an opinion or comments on this, please let me know!

This week's reader question is... **Which minor/secondary characters from the manga and/or anime would you like to see in later chapters?** I have plans to introduce/follow up with several in the near future, but I want to make sure I haven't missed any reader favorites!

The next post will be on Thursday and will hopefully be followed back to back with another post on Friday or Saturday to make up for last week. I have a fairly clear idea of where I want to go with the next few chapters so writing them should be easy. This next mini-arc should be plenty of fun!

So onto the next chapter-in which Haruhi has a meeting with the king!

* * *

Haruhi stood in front of the door to the king's chambers early the next morning, wondering why she had been summoned. Mei had woken her earlier than usual and informed her that she was having breakfast with the king. Typically, if Ryoji wanted to see Haruhi, he visited her chambers himself. Or he sent a messenger with a flowery note decorated with the monarch's drawings of hearts and doves and swirls of all kinds. But a formal request for a visit? The last time this had happened, Ryoji had introduced Yuko as his newest advisor.

In other words, a formal request was never a good thing.

So, Haruhi took a deep breath, steeled herself and knocked three times on the grand door.

"Come in!" Ryoji chirped.

When Haruhi entered the king's chambers, she found the polished wooden table set for breakfast. Ryoji sprang up from his desk and flung his arms open wide.

"Good morning dear! I'm so sorry to call you in so early but I'm sure you have a busy day ahead. I thought breakfast would be perfect time to chat!" he exclaimed, throwing one arm around her shoulders and leading her to the table.

"Sure Dad," Haruhi replied slowly.

"Don't look so suspicious, Haruhi! I had some letters to write this morning so Misuzu asked Mei to talk to you since I couldn't come see you."

Haruhi eased up a bit at that. Maybe she had the wrong idea.

"Tea or chocolate?" Ryoji gestured to the blue and white teapot and silver pitcher on the table.

"Tea, but I can get it—" Haruhi began.

"Oh! Please, let Daddy do it!" Ryoji eagerly poured the steaming hot tea into a delicate china cup and set the cup and saucer in front of Haruhi. With that, he sat down across the table from her.

"Well, what have you been up to lately? I haven't heard a peep from your wing of the castle," he said as he poured himself a cup of drinking chocolate.

"Not much," Haruhi replied carefully. But, even as she said the words, she was reliving the near-disaster at the performance from the day before. She reached for a thick slice of bread and busied herself with buttering it.

"Can't you be more specific dear?"

Haruhi shrugged. "I've mostly been in the library reading. Or trying on dresses for Mei."

"Ah—is she enjoying the troupe's sewing machine?"

"I think so. She's working on it all the time."

"Good! I believe the court inventor just finished his first prototype of the machine. She'll have one for herself in no time. I can't wait to see all of the designs she'll have for you!"

Haruhi managed an awkward smile. Mei's output of dress designs had tripled, even sharing the machine with Renge. She didn't want to think of what Mei would do with a sewing machine of her own. "Yeah, of course."

Ryoji took a sip of his chocolate and considered Haruhi over the golden rim of the cup. Haruhi eyed him curiously. That look usually meant…

"Haruhi," Ryoji began. "I know that you're visiting the city."

She instantly choked on her tea as her blood ran cold.

" _Oh no_." She stared at her father with wide eyes.

He simply shook his head with a slight smile. "Well, I'm afraid you still haven't mastered keeping a straight face in these matters. We'll need to work on that. It's an important ability for a monarch to have."

"Um…uh…" Haruhi had no idea of what to say. She certainly couldn't lie to him.

Yet, Ryoji surprised her by laughing. "It's fine, Haruhi! You're not in trouble!"

"I'm…not?"

"Of course not! I understand wanting to get out and see the city. Though I see that you've done far more than that. Your performance yesterday was _quite_ something." His eyes sparkled with mirth.

"You knew?"

"The instant I saw you. You've got a natural talent for it!"

"Um…thank you."

"I'm also _very_ impressed by Tamaki's ability for improvisation. He saved the show," Ryoji commented.

Haruhi found herself unable to respond. The entire situation was too unreal. She had defied a direct order from Yuko, yet the king didn't seem upset.

"Now, my visit yesterday answered a number of my questions. But, I am dying to know the answer to two things," Ryoji continued.

"Go…go ahead," Haruhi stammered.

"First, how on earth are you getting out of the castle? I _invented_ all of the ways out of this place and I have no idea how you're managing it."

"Uh…Well…I've had some help."

"I knew it!" Ryoji exclaimed. "That brings me to my next question then: who is helping you?"

Haruhi hesitated. She didn't want to get Nekozawa in trouble.

As usual, Ryoji seemed to read her mind. "Please tell me. I promise I won't let Yuko get them into any trouble."

"Nekozawa," Haruhi admitted.

At that, a knowing smile curved on Ryoji's lips. "Ah. I see. That makes perfect sense."

"What do you mean?"

The king folded his hands and looked at his daughter evenly. "Haruhi, I want you to see what an important lesson this truly is. What Nekozawa did might be considered defiance of the court. However, through this act, he has demonstrated _genuine_ loyalty to you."

Haruhi's head tilted to one side. "What?"

"A monarch can easily find themselves surrounded by a court that agrees with their every whim and fancy. But, your most trusted courtiers will be the ones willing to go against any decree to do what is best for _you._ Even if the decree happens to be one of your own."

As the advice began to sink in, Haruhi nodded. "So Misuzu…?"

"Has defied me to help me more times than you can imagine. But, such resilience takes practice. And Misuzu's practice primarily came from helping me defy _my_ father's orders. It would be beneficial for you to remember Nekozawa's contribution in the future," Ryoji said.

Silence reigned as Haruhi gathered her courage to ask the next question. Finally, she took another swallow of tea and asked, "So am I still allowed out of the castle?"

Ryoji grinned. "I'm sure you're in good hands with the troupe. What Yuko doesn't know can't hurt us."

Relief washed over her instantly and a grateful smile lit up her face.

"But—" Ryoji added. "do be careful. Yuko does have a tendency to be a bit nosey. I will do everything I can to deflect attention, but I can't prevent her from investigating the matter herself."

"Absolutely," Haruhi agreed.

"Now—tell me everything that's happened with the troupe! I want to know what you've _really_ been up to," Ryoji exclaimed.

And so Haruhi related her adventures with the troupe, beginning with her accident with the troupe's canvas and ending with the incident at her tea with the troupe. Ryoji found it all incredibly amusing and laughed heartily.

"These performers are much more interesting than I thought!" he declared. "I'll have to drop by to see them more often!"

Yet the clock above the chamber's fireplace chimed on the half-hour. Haruhi glanced at the time and bit her lip.

"I know—I know—you have to go. Another performance today?" Ryoji asked.

"Yes."

"Well then give me a hug and you can go." Ryoji bounced up from the table and pulled her into an enthusiastic embrace. "Now go on! Don't be late!"

Haruhi headed for the door. But before she left, Ryoji called out to her:

"Oh and Haruhi?"

She turned back to him.

"Don't be surprised if I stop by to see another performance," the king stated with a wink.

Haruhi laughed and nodded before leaving to change for her performance with the troupe.

* * *

And the excerpt for the next chapter is...

 **Tamaki's blood froze.**

 **A black hooded figure hovered over him. But before he could open his mouth to cry out, the figure darted away.**

 **Tamaki snapped up and glanced about the Great Hall wildly. The cloaked figure was nowhere to be seen.**

Oh dear! Who (or what) has Tamaki seen? Check back Thursday to find out!


	22. Chapter 22: Winter's First Chill

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **lillyannp** : Thank you! And Kasanoda will be meeting Mei soon! I will look into bringing Eclair in and thank you for the anime recommendation!

 **Aqua Lilly** : Close, but not quite! Our dark duke isn't quite as vengeful as he was in the anime and manga.

 **swimmer1102** : Thanks! And yes, Arai will be _quite_ a part of one of the arcs. I'm not sure exactly when that will come up, but I promise it will be worth the read!

 **Little Bird** : Thank you! I'm so glad you liked Ryoji that much! I worried about getting his characterization right, but if my readers are happy, then I'm happy. I think Tohru and Kanako would be great additions! I'll see if I can work them in!

So, my reader question for the week is actually more related to future chapters rather than past chapters. I've been trying to work out later arcs and have realized that for some characters, there is very little information on their canon. Mori, for example, has been quite a struggle to find canon details pertaining to his backstory. Thus, my reader question for the week is: **For characters with few details on their lives/relationships in the anime and manga, would you like to see them given a greater role with details that aren't necessarily canon or would you prefer them to be kept in similar roles to the anime/manga?**

The next post should be up on Saturday! This update is the official kick-off to the next arc, so more fun is coming!

Onto the next chapter-in which Tamaki is faced with a bit of a problem.

* * *

The first breath of frost swept through the courtyards and halls of Shikanai's palace, warning of the fast-approaching winter.

Tamaki chafed his arms against the cold as he paced about the Spy's Courtyard.

"It will never do for us to visit with our ladies like this," he muttered. "It's far too cold."

The other performers had taken to their own interests inside the castle to escape the cold. Renge was visiting with Mei, Mori and Honey were practicing their dueling techniques in one of the the unused music rooms, the twins had taken to the library and Kyoya was likely inquiring about castle gossip with the servants.

Tamaki, however, had spent the morning agonizing over the location of their next gathering. He couldn't believe how quickly the weather had turned. It hadn't given them so much as a chance to prepare for such conditions. What on earth would they do once winter was truly here?

" _There's a chance you won't be here by the time winter comes."_ A voice in Tamaki's head that sounded suspiciously like Hikaru chimed in with good-natured menace. Tamaki shook his head, trying to ignore the negative implications of that statement. He needed to focus…

A figure dressed in a simple muted rose dress and a yellow apron and kerchief strode out into the courtyard.

"My, it's too cold for you to be out here dressed like that!" the visitor exclaimed. As he approached, Tamaki recognized the figure and bowed with a smile.

"Misuzu, how are you?"

"Good, good!" the queen's advisor chirped. Misuzu had visited the troupe after one of their recent court performances and offered his congratulations. But, the advisor had soon swept been away to take care of another issue in the court. Tamaki usually saw Misuzu flitting through the halls, ensuring that everyday life in the castle ran smoothly.

"So what are you doing out here?" Misuzu asked.

"Simply trying to figure out where the troupe will host our gatherings for the court ladies. It's much too cold to have it out here," Tamaki replied.

"Use the Great Hall!" Misuzu exclaimed. "In fact, I was just coming out here to ask if your troupe would like to move to the Hall. After all, the nights will be getting much colder soon—you can't stay camped out here! I wish I could give you a proper set of rooms. But unfortunately, the servants quarters only have one bed left and any other rooms I could offer would be too drafty to be comfortable."

"Please don't worry about that! We would be happy to take the Hall—you've been more than kind by offering it," Tamaki answered.

Misuzu clapped his hands together. "Fantastic! We'll move you in this afternoon after your visit with the court ladies!"

#

That night, Nekozawa stood in the shadows of the Great Hall, watching as the troupe settled in to sleep. Finally, he had his chance to look into this troupe on his own.

He waited until he was sure everyone was asleep. Then, he crept over to the stack of bags near the performers' makeshift beds.

The first bag he opened contained very little other than a wooden staff, a practice sword and a bag of seed that appeared to be more suited to a bird's diet than a human's. Nekozawa glanced over to the tall, dark-haired actor who even wore a serious expression in his sleep. A sword's scabbard poked out of the very edge of the performer's bed. This bag had to belong to him.

The next rather decorative sack held bobbins of thread and scraps of fabric. Nekozawa cursed quietly as a needle unexpectedly stabbed him. Surely this belonged to the girl—the one that made the troupe's costumes. She slept slightly away from the rest of the troupe and closest to the fireplace, which was dying down to red coals by now.

Opening a third bag revealed a jumbled collection of seemingly random objects. Wooden toys, useless knickknacks and even a jester's hat nearly tumbled out onto the floor. Nekozawa reached for a shiny ball in the bottom of the bag and received an unexpected shock. Puzzled, he pawed through the rest of the contents until he found a second jester's hat, identical to the first, in the bag. Ah! This must belong to the twins. He was right in assuming they would be the least of his troubles.

Upon opening the fourth bag, Nekozawa was confronted with a profusion of stuffed animals. He peered through the dimness to the short blonde, who held a stuffed bunny rabbit under one arm. This bag belonged to him…but what else was it hiding? Nekozawa rummaged around and found a practice sword and dagger. He assumed that the boyish performer had weapons near his bed as well. Yet before he closed the bag, Nekozawa caught a glimmer of something in the bottom. He pulled out a ornately decorated hand-mirror. The enchantment on the mirror were immediately familiar. The duke knew who had enchanted it instantly. He briefly considered the similarity to his own magic mirror before returning it to the bag. This actor would bear watching.

The fifth bag jangled loudly as Nekozawa opened it. The duke winced. One glance at the metallic instruments, glass vials and bottles and he knew that the bag belonged to the bespectacled illusionist. He examined each object in the bag carefully. Nothing seemed to indicate black sorcery or battle magic, which was a relief. They all seemed to be rather inane tools used for fairly ordinary purposes. However, the bag did contain a kit of tools dedicated to healing magic. Nekozawa did a double take at the sleeping illusionist. He would have never pegged the mage as a healer.

The final bag was the one Nekozawa was the most curious about. By process of elimination, it had to belong to the troupe's leader. It contained a worn stuffed bear, a bent and tattered book and a scarf that had obviously been clumsily hand-knitted. Yet, there was one object that Nekozawa had expected to see, but didn't. He carefully closed the bag and put it back in its place. Then, he crept over to the troupe's sleeping leader. A chain hung about the performer's neck, but Nekozawa couldn't see the pendant. With a sigh, the duke called up a tiny plume of magic. The magic raised up the pendant, which turned out to be a signet ring. The signet bore an intricately carved crest of Alsance. Nekozawa let the signet down gently—that definitively confirmed what his source had told him. Unfortunately, he had no more answers about this individual. He would continue his careful observations in the coming weeks.

Nekozawa stood and was about to walk away. Yet, the troupe's leader stirred and Nekozawa stopped, not daring to breathe.

#

Tamaki drifted out of hazy, but pleasant, dreams. He rolled over and opened his eyes.

His blood froze.

A black hooded figure hovered over him. But before he could open his mouth to cry out, the figure darted away.

Tamaki snapped up and glanced about the hall wildly. The cloaked figure was nowhere to be seen.

He sucked in a breath, trying to calm down. After all, he didn't want to wake Kyoya or Honey and face their wrath. But only one thing could have simply disappeared like that.

A ghost.

With that realization, Tamaki knew he wouldn't be sleeping for the rest of the night.

* * *

The next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Oh my goodness! A ghost?" one of the court ladies cried.**_

 _ **"Oh Tamaki, weren't you terrified?" another asked.**_

 _ **Tamaki offered his bravest smile. "I was shocked. But, then I thought of all of you and it renewed my courage."**_

Obviously, our charming troupe leader is lying. But what will be the outcome of his ghostly sighting? Check back Saturday to find out!


	23. Chapter 23: Ghosts and Gossip

Hi everyone!

Hope you're doing well. Review responses are up first!

 **lillyannp:** Ah yes, Satoshi and Yasuchika could be great inclusions too! I'm very glad you liked the chapter and I will add Skip Beat to my watch list!

 **Aqua Lilly** : So keep them as is-okay! Thank you for weighing in!

As this is an update outside of the typical schedule, the reader question will remain the same for this post! Again, f **or characters with few details on their lives/relationships in the anime and manga, would you like to see them given a greater role with details that aren't necessarily canon or would you prefer them to be kept in similar roles to the anime/manga?**

The next update will be on Monday as usual and we will be returning to the typical schedule after that.

Now, onto the next chapter-in which news of Tamaki's ghostly visitor spreads through the castle!

* * *

The next afternoon, the court ladies crowded into the Great Hall, drawn by the news of Tamaki's ghost sighting. The story had drifted through the castle like all gossip. A passing footman had overheard Tamaki relating his tale to the troupe. The footman told a maid, the maid recited it to the chef, the chef mentioned it to a butler and the butler happened to let the story slip to some of the courtiers. Naturally, the news had spread to the entire castle by lunchtime.

"Oh my goodness! A ghost?" one of the court ladies cried. "It can't be!"

"But it is! I heard all about it," her friend replied.

The ladies turned their attention to Tamaki. "Oh Tamaki, weren't you terrified?"

Tamaki offered his bravest smile to the young lady. "I was shocked. But, then I thought of all of you and it renewed my courage."

All of the ladies sighed wistfully.

"Tamaki, you're so brave!"

While the court ladies might have believed Tamaki's story, the troupe members weren't nearly as impressed.

"How could anyone actually believe he saw a ghost?" Hikaru asked.

"He was obviously just dreaming," Kaoru added.

"Even if that's the case, it's causing quite a stir," Kyoya said as he observed the packed room. "It could turn out to be quite lucrative if we handle it properly. So, keep those opinions to yourselves."

The twins cast irritated looks at each other. Yet, a sudden collective gasp drew their attention to the entrance of the hall.

The princess stood in the doorway.

"Your Highness!" The court ladies stood and bobbed into curtsies. In the following stunned silence, Tamaki crossed the room.

He stopped in front of Haruhi and offered her a deep bow. "Highness."

As he straightened, he held out a white rose to her. Haruhi accepted it with a slight smile and took his arm. They walked across the room and Tamaki gave Kyoya a subtle nod. The illusionist set about dispersing the other troupe members throughout the room. Yet, the court ladies watched as the princess took a seat next to Mei and a few other courtiers.

Momoka was the first to speak of the court ladies surrounding Haruhi. "Highness, it's good to see you. Tamaki was just telling us about something he saw last night."

"What's that?" Haruhi asked.

Tamaki offered her a sheepish smile. "I believe that I saw a ghost last night."

Yet instead of a shocked gasp or a laugh of disbelief, Haruhi simply nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised. There's all sorts of stories of hauntings in this castle."

The court ladies and Mei gasped. "What? What do you mean? Are there really ghosts in the castle?"

"There are stories," Haruhi said. "haven't you ever seen the books in the library?"

"Oh no! I've never seen one that talked about things like that!" Momoka exclaimed.

This fuss drew the attention of the rest of the room. Soon, all of the ladies had clustered around Tamaki's group, eager to hear the princess's opinion on the matter.

"But Highness, do you believe in such stories?" one of the ladies asked.

"I like to think I'm fairly neutral. I can't say I believe in them, but I also can't say that I disbelieve them. It would be nice to have a certain answer though," Haruhi answered.

In typical fashion, the twins were the first to seize upon her words. They edged towards the center of the group with identical mischievous grins.

"I know what we should do!" Kaoru proclaimed.

"Since Highness is curious about ghosts, we should have a ghost hunt!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"That would be fun!" Honey chimed in.

"Oh yes! That's a wonderful idea!" Momoka clasped her hands together gleefully. A few other ladies took up the call eagerly.

"We should, we should!" they chirped.

Tamaki exchanged a glance with Haruhi. The princess simply shrugged. Seeing that the decision was up to him, Tamaki rose from his seat and declared:

"I agree wholeheartedly! We absolutely must have a ghost hunt!"

* * *

And the next chapter's excerpt is...

 _ **"You're…you're going on a ghost hunt?" Kazukiyo asked in a small voice.**_

 _ **"We are! It's going to be so much fun!" Momoka exclaimed.**_

 _ **"Right, fun," he replied.**_

 _ **"You should join us, Kazukiyo."**_

 _ **The color drained from Kazukiyo's face. "Um—uh…"**_

Will Kazukiyo join in on the ghost hunt willingly? Or will his fear get the best of him? Check back Monday to find out!


	24. Chapter 24: We're Going on a Ghost Hunt!

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well. Review responses are up first!

 **lillyannp:** Aw, don't apologize for something fun like that! I hope you enjoy your holiday and I'm looking forward to seeing you back in a month!

Today will be the last post that the reader question will stay the same-I promise I'll change it up on Thursday's post! But for now, the question remains: **for characters with few details on their lives/relationships in the anime and manga, would you like to see them given a greater role with details that aren't necessarily canon or would you prefer them to be kept in similar roles to the anime/manga?**

The next update will be on Thursday as usual and we're officially back on a Monday/Thursday update schedule!

So, to the next chapter-in which certain unwilling parties are dragged into the ghost hunt!

* * *

The entire castle buzzed with activity for the next two days. Courtiers and servants alike clamored to join in on the ghost hunt. Upon seeing the intense interest, Kyoya busied himself with creating lanterns that would light the dark halls of the castle warmly, but wouldn't cause fires if dropped. They didn't need to give Yuko an excuse to break up the event.

The ghost hunt participants all agreed that they would divide up into teams of four or five on the evening of the hunt. After all, if someone wanted to join in or drop out, they had the right to do so until the last minute. But of course, they all giggled and chuckled at the thought of anyone being too scared to join in on the hunt.

Yet the division of teams left the troupe in a bit of a predicament. The actors could divide up to two on a team: Mori and Honey, Kyoya and Tamaki and the twins together in groups. But where did such a division leave Mei, Renge and Haruhi? They called a meeting in Haruhi's chambers to decide over tea.

"I want to be with Kyoya's team, of course!" Renge chirped.

"I'd rather be in Tamaki's group," Mei said.

"You can't both be in the same group," Kaoru said. "That will leave things uneven for everyone else on the night of the hunt."

The two girls cast glances at each other and offered sheepish smiles.

"Surely there's a fair way to decide," Mei offered.

"Haruhi, don't you have a preference?" Honey chimed in.

Haruhi set her teacup down on the table and shrugged. "I don't."

"What?! But Haruhi, you have to have some kind of an opinion!" Tamaki fretted.

"I really don't," Haruhi answered.

Tamaki let out a whimper. His daydreams of wandering through the dimly lit halls together while valiantly protecting her from spooks and ghouls began to crumble.

"The fairest way to decide would be by a draw," Kyoya stated. He pulled out a small burlap pouch. He then produced three marbles from his pocket: one light blue, one pink and one purple.

"The marbles will represent the three teams. Purple for me and Tamaki, pink for Honey and Mori and light blue for the twins," Kyoya continued as he slipped the marbles into the bag. "So who would like to go first?"

"I'll go last since Mei and Renge are worried about which team they get," Haruhi volunteered.

Renge and Mei exchanged a look. "Renge, you're part of the troupe. You should go first," Mei said.

"Okay," Renge replied hesitantly. She reached into the pouch and pulled out the pink marble.

"Aw, I'm sorry you didn't get the team you wanted, Renge," Honey said. "But I promise Mori and I will make it plenty of fun to make up for it!"

Renge smiled at his enthusiasm. "I'm sure you will, Honey."

Mei reached into the pouch next. Tamaki tried not to look too concerned. This pick would decide Haruhi's group as well…

Mei took out the purple marble. "Great!"

She beamed at Tamaki, who managed a slight smile back despite his daydreams going up in smoke.

The twins' eyes lit with mischief. They sidled up to either side of Haruhi's chair.

"Hey Haruhi," Kaoru began.

"Looks like you're with us," Hikaru finished.

Haruhi shrugged. She reached into the pouch and extracted the light blue marble. "I guess so."

At this impassive reaction, the twins straightened. "No reaction at all?"

"You really didn't care a bit?"

Haruhi rose from her chair. "No. I would have been equally happy to be in a group with any of you. You're _all_ my friends. Besides, I'm sure we'll wind up running into each other at some point during the ghost hunt. We can swap groups then if we really want to."

The twins' mouths fell open in disbelief. They shrugged at each other hopelessly.

"Haruhi, that is a good idea about switching groups," Mei said.

"Thanks. But it doesn't have to be set in stone. Now, I'm going to the library to look over some of the ghost legends of the castle. Who wants to come with me?" Haruhi asked.

The rest of the troupe enthusiastically agreed and followed after her.

Once at the library, they settled in to read over the books of castle legends. Haruhi, Hikaru and Kaoru took up one table while Tamaki, Honey, Mori and Mei took another. Renge simply flitted from group to group, spending extra time floating about Kyoya as he worked on making more flameless lanterns. After a while of this, Momoka wandered in.

"Oh, Your Highness," she said with a curtsey to Haruhi.

"Please Momoka, call me Haruhi."

Momoka offered a smile. "Okay—I'll try. I suppose I should have known you would beat me to all these books. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Haruhi gestured to the stack of books across from Hikaru. "If you want, you can start there."

Momoka took a seat and eagerly dove into the books.

By the time the stack of books had dwindled to two, another visitor stopped by.

"What are all of you doing?"

The group glanced up to Kazukiyo. Momoka offered a brilliant smile.

"We're reading legends about the castle so we know what to look for on our ghost hunt," she said.

It was as if the temperature in the room dropped as Kazukiyo heard these words.

"You're…you're going on a ghost hunt?" he asked in a small voice.

"We are! It's going to be so much fun!" Momoka exclaimed.

"Right, fun," Kazukiyo replied.

"You should join us, Kazukiyo," Haruhi said.

The color drained from Kazukiyo's face. "Um—uh…"

As if their fear radars had gone off, the twins grinned at each other, then turned to Kazukiyo. "You can join our team!" they chorused.

Kazukiyo paled even further. "I—I—um—guess…"

The twins rose from their seats and clapped Kazukiyo on the shoulders. "Great! Just make sure to report to the Great Hall tonight as soon as night falls. That is, as long as you're not a scaredy-cat and decide to wimp out on us!"

Kazukiyo let out a whimpering laugh as he looked at Momoka's bright smile. "Wouldn't dream of it," he mumbled.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Yuko looked up at Ranka evenly. "I trust that Princess Haruhi won't be participating in such frivolity."**_

 _ **Ranka put a hand on Haruhi's shoulder. She glanced back at him, dreading the answer he would give.**_

Will Haruhi be attending the ghost hunt? Or will the queen's second advisor ruin it all? Check back Thursday to find out!


	25. Chapter 25: A Meddling Advisor

Hi everyone!

Hope you've been doing well. Review responses up first!

 **Sheepgirl418** : Okay, I'm going to be completely honest here. This review made me get up and do a bit of a dance. Thank you for my first fan-rage review! This kind of a response means I've done my job with Yuko! But, I'm afraid she still has a great deal of meddling to come...

So, the reader question will _finally_ change on this update! My reader question for this update is... **out of the original arcs/events in the anime and/or manga, which one would you _most_ like to see my spin on** **?** I've included small reflections of the original content so far, but I am curious to see if anyone wants me to twist a specific arc!

The next update will be on Monday. Unfortunately, a little something called real life has kept me from getting ahead of the schedule. Hopefully things will calm down this weekend so I can get ahead!

Onto the next chapter-in which a courtier has some concerns and an advisor interferes.

* * *

As sunset approached, the excitement of Shikanai's castle grew. Usually stoic footmen jumped out from behind curtains at maids and laughed heartily at the shrieks of terror. Typically quiet courtiers now charged down the halls with whoops and shouts. Even the chef created a dinner inspired by ghouls and creepy crawlies. Everyone seemed ready for the ghost hunt.

That is, everyone but one particularly anxious courtier.

Haruhi exited her chambers and smiled as she paused to let a page and maid sprint gleefully down the hall. She shook her head. " _Who would have thought a ghost hunt would have caused such a fuss?_ "

Yet as she continued down the now-empty hall, a voice hissed: "Your Highness!"

She glanced around. Upon seeing no one, she continued walking.

"Highness!" the voice hissed again.

Haruhi turned about. But still, she didn't see anyone.

"Highness! Behind the statue!"

She walked over to the ornate statue of a rider upon a rearing charger at the end of the hall. Kazukiyo sat behind it, wedged between the statue's pedestal and the wall.

"Kazukiyo? What is it?" she asked.

"Highness, you _have_ to help me!" Kazukiyo pleaded. "I'm terrified to go on this ghost hunt tonight!"

"You know it's not required. Everyone is just doing it for fun," Haruhi replied.

"But I _have_ to go! I don't want to look like a coward in front of Momoka!" he cried.

Realization dawned on the princess. "Oh."

"She's so happy with the idea and she's completely unafraid! How am I supposed to live up to that? I'm a complete scaredy-cat! Who would have possibly thought this was a good idea?"

"Um…I don't know," Haruhi lied with a smile she hoped wasn't too awkward.

But Kazukiyo was too worked up to spot the lie. "The ghost hunt itself was bad enough! But now, to be paired with those twins! They don't seem like the type that would offer any mercy to a coward like me!"

"Calm down, Kazukiyo—"

"Please Highness! Help me! Maybe if I'm able to stay with you in the group, your calm demeanor will rub off on me and keep me relaxed!"

"Um, I guess I can try—"

"Please!" Kazukiyo cried, throwing himself at her feet. "I am at your mercy!"

"Okay, okay! Just make sure to stay with me tonight and I'll do everything I can to help," Haruhi said.

Kazukiyo looked up at her. "Thank you! Oh thank you so much! I feel better already!"

Haruhi helped the courtier to his feet. "Just make sure to find me in the Great Hall before the groups get together."

Kazukiyo nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes of course! Thank you again Highness!"

With that, the courtier hurried off. Haruhi sighed and began her trek to the end of the wing. As she did, something seemed to move in one of the alcoves. She glanced back quickly. Seeing nothing, she shrugged and walked on.

Halfway through her journey to the Great Hall, a ornate wooden door opened and Ranka swept out. He sighted her and beamed.

"Ah Haruhi! Where are you hurrying off to?"

"The Great Hall," Haruhi replied.

"Oh so you're off to—" Ranka stopped abruptly as if he had seen someone. Haruhi turned to see Yuko approaching them.

The advisor bobbed into a curtsey. "Your Majesty. Highness."

"Yuko, good to see you. Were you looking for me?" Ranka asked.

"I was, Majesty. I have recently caught news that a hunt for a…ghost is being organized in the castle," Yuko said.

"Yes. That's true," Ranka answered.

"Does Your Majesty believe that this is a wise idea? Letting courtiers and servants caper around together in the darkness of night?"

"I believe that proper precautions have been taken. Misuzu assured me that he has handled everything."

A hint of a sneer curled at Yuko's upper lip. But, she quickly resumed her cold facade. "If that is the case, then I'm sure it has all been taken care of."

She glanced at Haruhi, then looked up at Ranka evenly. "However, I trust that Princess Haruhi won't be participating in such frivolity."

Ranka put a hand on Haruhi's shoulder. She glanced back at him, dreading the answer he would give.

"Haruhi is welcome to participate in the hunt if she wishes. It will be an excellent chance for her to bond with the younger courtiers. Such opportunities often prove quite useful," Ranka declared.

Haruhi restrained the automatic smile that came to her. After all, there was no reason to antagonize Yuko more than necessary. But she risked a glance up at Ranka. A smile twitched at his mouth and he squeezed her shoulder.

The second advisor's lips compressed into a thin line. "Yes Majesty. An excellent point."

"Well, since that's settled—Haruhi, I think I detained you when you were going somewhere. Go ahead—you don't want to keep anyone waiting!"

Due to Yuko's presence, Haruhi offered her father a formal curtsey. She nodded to the advisor and walked down the hall at a careful pace. But as soon as she was out of view of the advisor, she picked up the skirts of her lilac dress and ran to the Great Hall.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Would you two cut it out? We're looking for a ghost, not trying to scare people," Haruhi snapped. At this, Kaoru and Hikaru straightened.**_

 _ **"Sorry," Kaoru murmured.**_

 _ **"We were just trying to have some fun," Hikaru grumbled.**_

 _ **A scream suddenly cut through the air.**_

Who screamed? Will the group be able to save them? Check back Monday to find out!


	26. Chapter 26: The Coward and the Grey Lady

Hi everyone!

Hope you've all been doing well! As usual, review responses are first!

 **Sheepgirl418** : Haha, I am perfectly fine with fan-rages. I figured since you complimented the rest of it that it was more of an issue with Yuko than anything else. And she won't totally get away with her meddling. At least I haven't planned it that way. By the way, may I ask which ship you're referring to? At this point in the story, there are multiple possibilities.

Reader question for this update will stay the same: **out of the original arcs/events in the anime and/or manga, which one would you _most_ like to see my spin on** **?**

Next update will be on Thursday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a ghost hunt begins!

* * *

"This is going to be so much fun!" one of the court ladies cried.

"Aren't you scared?"

"Of course not!" she declared with a toss of her head.

"Boo!" One of her male companions sprang up behind her.

"Eeek!"

The young man laughed. "So much for not being scared!"

The Great Hall rang with chatter like this as the gathered courtiers and servants found their groups.

Haruhi moved through the crowd, not resisting the infectious gleeful energy around her. Amazingly enough, the event also seemed to have loosened the formalities of the court. The courtiers and servants nodded to her as she passed, but no one dropped into a silent curtsey or bow and everyone was smiling.

She sought out Kazukiyo first and found him standing on the edge of the crowd, sweating slightly.

"Kazukiyo, are you all right?" she asked.

"Oh yes, I'm fine," Kazukiyo stated. "Just accepting the fact that I've basically agreed to put myself into an early grave!"

"Shh! Not so loud."

"Sorry…"

"Hey Kazukiyo!" The courtier glanced up to see Momoka coming away from the crowd. She smiled brightly at him. "Tonight should be a lot of fun, right?"

"Ab—abso—absolutely," he stammered.

"Maybe we'll run into each other on the hunt! But if we don't, good luck!"

"You—you too."

As Momoka disappeared back into the mass of excited people, Kazukiyo sighed. "Well, I guess we'd better get on with it…Let's go find those twins."

They dove back into the assembly and pushed toward the front of the room. The twins stood with the rest of the troupe, looking bored. When they sighted Haruhi and Kazukiyo, they grinned and rushed over.

"So are you ready for the hunt?" Kaoru asked.

"It's going to be spook-tacular," Hikaru added.

"Yeah, we are," Haruhi replied simply. The twins made faces at this lack of enthusiasm.

Tamaki soon strode to the center of the room. "Ahem—everyone! If you'll please look this way, we have some announcements!"

The gathering seemed to quiet instantly at his voice. Once he had the room's attention, the troupe leader continued, "First of all, I hope everyone has a wonderful time tonight. This is meant to be fun, even if it has a more serious purpose. But to ensure that, we have a few rules. First, groups are not allowed to purposefully scare each other. We don't want to create some kind of panic. Second, each group is only allowed two enchanted lanterns. No other light sources are allowed. The castle itself will be dark, so make sure to have a friend with you at all times. We don't want anyone left in the dark. Third, the hunt itself will conclude at the end of the witching hour! For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, that will be the stroke of one. Everyone is to meet back here in the Great Hall and we'll determine if we found our ghost."

A series of gleeful shouts burst from the crowd. Tamaki smiled and waited for them to die down.

"So, if two people from each group would pay a visit to Kyoya, he will distribute your lanterns. Once night falls, the hunt is on!" he proclaimed.

The entire room cheered and the groups set about obtaining their lanterns in a surprisingly orderly fashion. As Tamaki strode over to Mei and another court lady who had happily joined their group, he saw Haruhi. He waved and smiled brilliantly. Haruhi returned the gesture with a small wave of her own.

"Haruhi! Are you ready for the ghost hunt?" Honey asked as he bounded over to to the twins' group.

"Yeah, I am. Shouldn't you be getting lanterns?" Haruhi asked.

"Mori will get them!" Honey chirped. He gestured over to the lantern station where Mori stood, helping Kyoya hand out the lanterns. "I wanted to give you this before we started on the hunt!"

Honey handed her his large stuffed bunny. Haruhi took it with a slight laugh. "Um, thanks Honey."

"Of course! You can't get scared if you have Usa-chan with you!" he chimed. Haruhi thought she saw him glance at Kazukiyo as he said this. "Well, I better go find Renge. She's brought along a friend named Sumire! I don't want them to get lost in this crowd!"

With that, the short blonde skipped away.

Haruhi glanced at the rabbit, then at Kazukiyo. She'd save this until the start of the hunt.

By the time the last lantern had been distributed, night had truly fallen. And so the ghost hunters scattered about the castle, intent on finding the resident spook.

But in the bluish glow given off by the enchanted lanterns, even Haruhi had to admit that the usually familiar halls looked strange.

"I say we go to the north wing," Hikaru declared.

"But that wing has been abandoned for decades," Haruhi said.

"That's exactly why we want to go there!" Kaoru exclaimed.

Haruhi raised her lantern to glance at Kazukiyo. Even in the enchanted light, he held a sickly pallor of fear.

"Well, if we're going to go all the way to the the north wing, I need to have a hand free. Kazukiyo, will you keep Usa-chan for me?" she asked.

"Oh—um…sure," Kazukiyo mumbled as he took the rabbit. He tucked the stuffed animal securely under one arm without complaint.

As they continued towards the north wing, Hikaru and Kaoru started to spin stories of ghosts and haunts.

"I heard that there's a ghost of a headless knight in the castle," Hikaru began. "He wanders the halls, looking for the head he lost in an unfortunate jousting accident."

Beside Haruhi, Kazukiyo let out a quiet whimper.

"Well, I heard that there's a little girl in a white dress that appears out of nowhere. She's crying for her mother. People go to help her, but when they get close enough, they realize that her eyes are completely black," Kaoru continued.

Kazukiyo's whine of terror grew louder. Haruhi nudged him with an elbow and he regained some composure.

"There's also a legend about a faceless shadow man that lurks in the shadows of the library," Kaoru added.

"Li—literally faceless or fig—figuratively faceless?" Kazukiyo stuttered.

"Literally," Kaoru answered. Kazukiyo swallowed hard.

"But I heard the scariest ghost is the Grey Lady. She's supposedly mourning the passing of her husband. You have no idea she's there until she lets out an ear-splitting scream!" Hikaru exclaimed.

Kazukiyo lost it at that. He cried out, then promptly covered his mouth with his hands. The twins began laughing.

"Nice one, Kazukiyo!"

"We didn't know you were such a scaredy-cat!"

"Would you two cut it out? We're looking for a ghost, not trying to scare people," Haruhi snapped.

At this, Kaoru and Hikaru straightened.

"Sorry," Kaoru murmured.

"We were just trying to have some fun," Hikaru grumbled.

A scream suddenly cut through the air.

"It's the Grey Lady!" Kazukiyo shrieked. He froze in place, trembling with fear.

Another scream split the silence. The twins looked to each other with wide eyes.

"Maybe it is the Grey Lady!" Kaoru exclaimed.

Only Haruhi stayed calm as a third scream rang out. "That's not a ghost! That sounded like Renge!"

The group sprinted towards the source of the screams. They rounded a corner to see Renge and her friend Sumire clutching each other in terror. A shadowy hand seemed to be reaching for them.

But before the twins, Haruhi and Kazukiyo could reach them, the hand disappeared.

Mori walked out of the shadows, holding a vase of silk flowers. Honey followed close behind him with one of the lanterns.

"It was the shadow from this," Mori said.

"Yeah, see how the moonlight did it?" Honey asked. He held up the lantern to demonstrate how a few of the fake branches in the arrangement might look like a hand. Renge and Sumire let out sighs of relief.

"Oh—how silly for us to be afraid of that," Renge said with an embarrassed giggle. "How did you figure that out, Mori?"

Mori shrugged and set the vase on a nearby table.

"That was some scream," Kaoru said. "We heard you all the way down the hall."

"We thought it might have been the Grey Lady," Hikaru added with a laugh.

"You weren't scared, were you?" Honey asked.

"No, of course not!" Kaoru scoffed. He turned to Haruhi and Kazukiyo. "We weren't scared, right?"

"No, not at all," Haruhi answered.

"Not—not at—-not at—all!" Kazukiyo answered through chattering teeth as he clutched Usa-chan. He swayed unsteadily for a moment before falling to the floor in a faint.

* * *

Excerpt for the next update is...

 _ **The twins stared with wide eyes.**_

 _ **"Kaoru…is that…what I think it is?" Hikaru asked.**_

 _ **"I…I think it is," Kaoru replied.**_

 _ **Both performers fought valiantly against the rising terror…and lost.**_

Oh dear, is karma coming back to haunt the twins? And is this scare another fake? Or could it be real? Check back Thursday to find out!


	27. Chapter 27: The Twins' Scare

Hi everyone!

Hope you're doing well! As usual, I'll start with review responses!

 **Sheepgirl418:** Ah! Okay, I see it! And you've got an excellent point about Ranka and Haruhi. I promise there are plenty more scenes ahead with those two!

 **whathappensafter:** Thank you! So glad you're enjoying it! And yes-I have looked at "The Twins Fight" as a potential arc. It's a great idea for sure. I haven't quite figured out the proper twist, but I think that will come with time.

I'm keeping the reader question the same for one more update: **out of the original arcs/events in the anime and/or manga, which one would you _most_ like to see my spin on** **?**

The next update will be on Monday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which the twins get an unpleasant surprise.

* * *

"Haha! I can't believe it! What an absolute scaredy cat!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"I knew he was a bit of a coward, but this takes the cake," Kaoru added.

The others had gathered around Kazukiyo as Haruhi attempted to bring the courtier to.

"Kazukiyo—can you hear me?" she asked.

The courtier's eyes fluttered open. "Ugh…did I pass out?"

"I'm afraid you did. Are you all right?" Haruhi asked.

"Yes Highn—" At Haruhi's slight frown, Kazukiyo corrected himself. "Yes Haruhi. This happens to me quite a bit so I'm used to it. Just give me a moment to sit here and I should be fine."

"Here, Kazukiyo! Take Usa-chan. He always makes me feel better," Honey said.

Kazukiyo took the stuffed rabbit gratefully. "Thank you."

During this time, the twins' uncontrollable laughter had continued. Haruhi shot them both a stern glare, but neither seemed to notice.

"Do you mind?" she demanded. "he might have really had something wrong!"

Kazukiyo put a hand on her arm and offered an awkward smile. "It's okay. Don't worry about it. I'm actually surprised I lasted this long before they started making fun of me. I figured it would happen before the end of the night."

At this, the twins snapped upright.

"Did he just say…" Kaoru began.

"…that our teasing doesn't bother him?" Hikaru finished.

They stared at each other. "He's too pure to be made fun of!" they chorused, clutching each other dramatically. "What are we going to do?"

As Mori and Sumire helped Kazukiyo to his feet, Haruhi crossed her arms and shook her head at the twins display of theatrics.

"Are you two going to keep that up? We need to head back to another wing of the castle. It's too dangerous to explore the north wing with everyone so on edge," she said.

The twins paused their dramatics. "What? Are you kidding?" Hikaru asked.

"Yeah, we came all this way to see the north wing! It's just right this way," Kaoru said. They headed down to the opposite end of the hall.

"Let's keep going," they said.

"I don't know…maybe we should take a vote." Haruhi turned to the others. "Does anyone want to keep going?"

"Well, we did come all this way," Sumire said.

"But if Kazukiyo isn't feeling up to it, we shouldn't," Honey said.

As usual, such discussions bored the twins. They began to meander down a corridor off of the main hall. Yet, halfway down the hall, an icy breeze drifted past them. Kaoru shivered.

"Must be a draft," he said.

"Yeah, this end of the castle doesn't look like it's kept up as well," Hikaru said.

But something shifted in the shadows cast by the pale moonlight. They stopped in their tracks.

"Um…Hikaru…do you see something at the end of the hall?"

"I…do."

That something let out a menacing chuckle. It rose up to its full height, showcasing a set of sharply pointed ears at the top of its head. Then, it opened piercing red eyes that glowed in the blackness. The chuckle grew louder, echoing about the hall.

The twins froze as their minds attempted to produce a rational explanation. That tact abruptly failed.

"Kaoru…is that…what I think it is?" Hikaru asked.

"I…I think it is," Kaoru replied.

Both performers fought valiantly against the rising panic…and lost.

Two simultaneous screams split the silence of the main hall, jolting the others from their discussion of further exploration.

"That sounded like the twins!" Honey exclaimed.

The group shot down the hall. But the twins were nowhere to be seen.

"They can't have just disappeared!" Renge exclaimed.

"They have to be around here somewhere," Haruhi said. "We have to find them."

Footsteps clattered down the hall behind them. They turned to see Tamaki, Kyoya and Mei dashing down the hall.

"We heard screams," Mei explained as they approached.

"The twins walked away from the group—we think something must have scared them," Kazukiyo explained.

"Then we have to split up and find them!" Tamaki declared. "Everyone needs to pair up and we'll start…"

The troupe leader trailed off, glancing around at the unfamiliar surroundings. Seeing his confusion, Mei stepped in.

"Haruhi and I know this part of the castle the best. We can cover the majority of the north wing. First, we need to pair up. Anyone is welcome to come with me," she said.

"Sumire and I will go together," Honey volunteered.

"I'd…I'd like to go with Mori," Renge said with a shy glance up at the taciturn performer.

"Ok," Mori said.

"But we have an odd number of people," Kazukiyo said. "Will someone have to go…alone?"

"Kazukiyo, if you don't mind going with Mei, I can go ahead by myself," Haruhi said. Behind her, Tamaki's eyes widened.

"Are you sure?" Kazukiyo asked.

"Yeah. Like Mei said, I know this part of the castle best. I can handle it," Haruhi replied. She took her lantern in hand and started off for the north wing, leaving the others to divide up the rest of the area.

But before the princess reached the north wing, someone called out to her.

"Haruhi! Wait!"

Tamaki hurried over to her.

"Tamaki, I thought you were going with Kyoya."

"He said he would stay at the entrance where we all met to make sure we covered different areas," Tamaki explained. "I think that's the best option. After all, no one should be exploring alone!"

He offered her a brilliant smile.

"Okay," she replied with a shrug. "Just be careful—this part of the castle hasn't been kept up as well."

"Of course, princess!"

Even Haruhi's most irritated stare was ineffective against Tamaki's enthusiasm.

* * *

Next update's excerpt is...

 _ **Haruhi raised the lantern, her head cocking to one side. She started forward.**_

 _ **"Haruhi—where are you—" Tamaki stopped abruptly as he saw what she was looking at. He followed after her, similarly entranced.**_

What have these two seen? Are they under an enchantment? Or is simple curiosity enough to enchant them? Check back Monday to find out the answer!


	28. Chapter 28: The Queen's Specter

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well. Review responses are up first!

 **swimmer1102:** Thank you! And yes, I'm afraid I couldn't help myself on this little cliffhanger. It adds to the spook-factor I think. It's great to hear from you again-hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!

 **Faeries232** : I'm so glad you like it! Thank you for reviewing-it's always wonderful to hear from new readers/reviewers!

So, reader question for this week is much more general than past questions. **What is your favorite part of this fanfic?** Is it the narration? Antics of a certain character? Characterization alterations? A certain ship? Anything is fair game! Run with it if you like!

Next update will be on Thursday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter. In which Haruhi and Tamaki stumble across quite a surprise.

* * *

Tamaki surveyed the dusty ruins of the wing in front of them with a frown. Grimy portraits lined the walls, overseeing a parade of broken and unused furniture down the hall. He had never seen a place in such ill-repair. It was quite the departure from his home. Every inch of the castle in Alsance was kept spotless, regardless of its usage.

"Haruhi, why isn't this wing used anymore? It seems like such a waste," he remarked as they picked around a shattered wardrobe and a rickety hall table.

Haruhi shrugged. "It just happened really. A long time ago, the younger heirs of the royal line held this wing. But as the royal families got smaller, it was used as a wing for important visitors from other countries. Since Ichio rarely has visitors anymore, it's become more of a storage closet."

"I see…And the portraits?"

"They're of the earliest monarchs of Ichio." She pointed to one of a thin-faced man with a long goatee. "That's King Akio. He united the original nation-states into one kingdom."

"That sounds like quite the feat," Tamaki said. They passed under a few more watchful gazes of monarchs from long ago. But halfway down the hall, Tamaki paused at the portrait of a woman with steely-grey hair and burning eyes. In a way, the woman reminded him of his grandmother.

"Who is this?"

Haruhi stopped before the portrait. "That's Queen Mizuki. She's called the Widow Queen. Her husband, King Hideyoshi, was killed in a battle against a neighboring country about two hundred and fifty years ago. She took up his crown, rode into battle and led Ichio to victory. She reigned for another forty years, but she never remarried."

Tamaki blurted out, "Ah. So Ichio has a tradition of female monarchs then."

Haruhi's face fell. She let out a long breath, shaking her head. "Only under absolutely extraordinary circumstances."

He blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Queen Mizuki was Ichio's _only_ ruling queen. Since then, every royal daughter has been passed over in favor of one of her brothers."

Tamaki's mouth fell open in disbelief. Alsance had been ruled by both kings and queens. Tradition dictated that the crown passed in equal succession to the most capable child, regardless of gender or age. Ichio's laws couldn't be so antiquated. "But surely as the only child, the crown will pass to you."

"Not according to our laws and precepts," Haruhi replied. "The crown only passes to a male heir. Meaning that my husband will be the one to rule."

With that declaration, Tamaki understood the bitter distaste with which Haruhi spat the word "husband." He had heard rumors that Yuko's sole purpose in the castle was to marry the princess off. Yet he hadn't understood why Haruhi had refused all of her suitors. But now, it all made sense. He couldn't imagine being forced to hand Alsance over to someone else. Even if that someone else was a spouse.

"I'm…sorry," he said finally. "It's incredibly unfair."

Haruhi sighed and shrugged. "My mother attempted to change the laws. But she passed before any progress could be made."

"Then there's a chance it could be changed?"

"Perhaps. But it's highly unlikely. With Ichio's current political state, others might see such a change as an aggression. Our diplomatic ties are far too weak to survive that kind of misunderstanding. So, it would require a miracle. Or," Haruhi nodded wearily to Queen Mizuki's portrait. "Extraordinary circumstances."

Tamaki nodded with a frown. This would be quite a new wrinkle to consider if he intended to pursue the princess's hand in earnest. Yet now, he shook off the thought. He would cross that bridge if or when they came to it.

"I hope-" he began.

Suddenly, Haruhi raised the lantern, her head cocking to one side. She started forward.

"Haruhi—where are you—" Tamaki stopped abruptly as he saw what she was looking at. He followed after her, similarly entranced.

Beyond the bluish glow of the lantern, all was darkness. But at the very end of the hall, a glowing white orb danced in the air. As they approached, the orb shimmered and took on the shape of a woman.

A regal crown gleamed on the woman's head and she held a scepter in one hand. She raised her chin high and surveyed them both with fiery eyes.

Haruhi let out a quiet gasp and abruptly sank into a deep formal curtsey. Tamaki wasn't sure why, but he followed her lead, bending into a straight backed bow of a king's deference.

The apparition soon waved a hand in an indication to rise. When Tamaki raised his gaze to the phantom's face, he saw her mouth curve into a smile.

"Haruhi! Tamaki! Where are you?" Honey's high voice shattered the enchanted silence. Tamaki and Haruhi whirled around to face the other end of the hall as Sumire and Honey rounded the corner.

"There you are!" Sumire cried. "Mei and Kazukiyo found the twins!"

"They ran into a room and accidentally locked themselves in," Honey added.

Haruhi and Tamaki looked at each other. Did either of the pair see the queen's ghost? They glanced back to where the queen had stood. But the specter had disappeared.

"What's wrong? You both look like you've seen a ghost," Honey said.

Tamaki and Haruhi simultaneously burst into nervous laughter. But neither addressed the issue, despite Sumire and Honey's questioning glances.

* * *

And the excerpt for the next chapter is...

 _ **"Um…where's Kazukiyo?" Haruhi asked.**_

 _ **Mei glanced about with wide eyes. "He was with me when we found the twins."**_

 _ **"He came back here with us too," Kaoru volunteered.**_

 _ **"He couldn't have gone off by himself," Hikaru declared.**_

 _ **Mei held out her empty hands. "Yes, he could have. He had our lantern."**_

Oh my! Has our scaredy-cat suddenly developed nerves of steel? And is there a reason for such bravery? Check back Thursday for the answer!


	29. Chapter 29: A Surprising Trespasser

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **whathappensafter:** Aw, thank you! As a big fantasy-reader myself, I'm glad to hear that my fantasy-lovers are enjoying it!

 **Little Bird** : Everything? That's so sweet-thank you! But I'm glad you've managed to point out your _favorite_ part as the anticipation and build up! I think you'll really enjoy this chapter!

Again, the reader question is: **w** **hat is your favorite part of this fanfic?** It's a general question, so any answer goes!

Next update will be on Monday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter (which was inspired by a recent personal experience of mine)-in which a very special someone makes their first appearance!

* * *

The troupe, Haruhi, Mei, Sumire and Renge all regrouped at the entrance to the north wing.

"What exactly made you two run off?" Kyoya asked with a curious glance at the twins.

"It was a ghost! Or a shadow! It was this huge black thing and it had glowing red eyes!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"Hmm…"

"We both saw it!" Hikaru added.

"Well, try to keep calm for the rest of the night. We still have a few hours left of the hunt," Kyoya said.

"Just wait until you see it! You won't be so calm!" Hikaru predicted.

Yet, Haruhi quickly noticed that the group was missing a member.

"Um…where's Kazukiyo?" she asked.

Mei glanced about with wide eyes. "He was with me when we found the twins."

"He came back here with us too," Kaoru volunteered.

"He couldn't have gone off by himself," Hikaru declared.

Mei held out her empty hands. "Yes, he could have. He had our lantern."

"Oh no…" Honey said.

Tamaki sighed. "Well, I suppose this night is turning more into a game of hide and seek rather than a ghost hunt. Let's find him."

#

Kazukiyo edged through the black halls of the castle, attempting to keep his hand from shaking too badly. Each tremor drastically altered the unearthly blue light gleaming from the lantern.

" _Why did I ever decide to do this_?" he whimpered in his thoughts.

After retrieving the terrified twins from a closet near the north wing, he had returned to the entrance of the wing with Mei. However, as they waited for the others to return, Kazukiyo had spotted a dark shape moving about in the darkness of one of the castle's central halls. His first reaction had been terror. Yet as he watched, the figure paused and let out a quiet sneeze. With this, Kazukiyo's fright began to fade. Who ever heard of a sneezing ghost? Someone was obviously toying with them. And anyone who unmasked that individual would be lauded for his or her bravery. So, Kazukiyo gathered his courage and set off after the interloper.

But, Kazukiyo's pursuit was short lived. The figure was quick and obviously more familiar with this part of the castle than he was. They crept through unfamiliar twists and turns until Kazukiyo was having trouble keeping track of which way was which. He lost the figure for the briefest moment as it rounded a corner. Yet when he turned the same corner, the figure was gone. He searched the surrounding area to no avail and began to wonder if ghosts actually could sneeze.

Now, he wandered through the maze of hallways, unsure if he could find his way back to the north wing. Surely the others would be looking for him by now…

A blue light bobbed around the next corner of the hall and Kazukiyo almost froze. Quickly, he realized that the light was coming from another enchanted lantern.

"Kazukiyo, is that you?" the lantern's owner asked as they approached.

He eased as he recognized the voice. "Yes Momoka. It's me."

"Oh good. I've been looking for someone for ages. I got separated from my group a while ago," Momoka said.

"How?"

"Kanako thought she heard footsteps, then Ayame thought she saw a shadow. I suppose everyone panicked and ran off in different directions. Did your group run off too?"

"Oh no. I saw a figure walking around and thought someone might have been playing tricks on us, so I followed them. I lost them in the halls. This place is like a maze at night."

"Wow, you went off by yourself? Just like that? You must be really brave!"

He let out a nervous laugh. "I suppose so."

Before Momoka could reply, a sound floated down the hall.

 ** _Thump thump thump._**

Kazukiyo whirled about at the sudden noise. "What was that?"

 ** _Thump thud thump._**

The sound was closer this time. Momoka grabbed his arm and pointed down the hall.

A short black shadow paced towards them. It moved on all fours and its eyes glittered in the darkness.

Pure fear shot through Kazukiyo. But the creature might give chase if they ran. Seeing no other choice, he stepped between Momoka and the beast.

"Sss..stay sss…still. If—if—it aaa…attacks me, rrr-run," He stammered.

The thing continued to creep down the hall.

#

"He has to be around here somewhere!" Honey exclaimed.

The group had searched the area around the north wing in wider and wider swathes until they reached the central part of the castle. They had methodically explored each hall, calling out quietly for him. Kazukiyo hadn't answered them.

"Oh, forget this. It's time to stop being so quiet," Hikaru said. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted: "Kazukiyo!"

The others winced at the echoing yell. But, in the ensuing silence, there came a very faint answering call.

"I knew it! It came from this way," Hikaru said. He strode down the hall confidently, the others at his heels. After a few moments, he called for Kazukiyo again. The answer grew stronger. Two lights rounded a distant corner.

"There you are!" Kazukiyo cried. "Boy, am I glad to see all of you!"

Yet something zipped forward, past the light of Kazukiyo's lantern. The streak shot down the hall until it reached the group…and pounced for Tamaki.

"Milord!" Kaoru gasped.

Before anyone could react, Tamaki fell to the ground. He raised his arms and braced, half expecting some kind of attack. Instead, the thing snuffled, pushed its head under his arm and licked his face. Tamaki cautiously lowered his hands to a coat of soft fur and began laughing.

"What on earth? Is that a dog?" Mei asked.

Tamaki sat up, pushing the dog off his chest while scratching it behind the ears. "So it appears!"

Kazukiyo and Momoka hurried over to the others.

"I don't know what got into her! She's been walking with us for the past half hour," Kazukiyo explained.

"We thought she was some kind of monster at first," Momoka said. "She really scared us! But she's so sweet!"

The golden dog went to lick Tamaki's face again. He laughed while trying to hold her back. "She certainly is!"

Haruhi knelt down and the dog pranced over to her. "She must have snuck into the castle from one of the courtyards. I wonder where she came from."

Mori leaned down and offered a hand to the dog, who licked it gleefully. He patted the dog along her side and belly. "She's thin. Probably lost," he said.

"Awww, she needs a home!" Honey cried.

The dog trotted back over to Tamaki, who had just managed to stand again. She pushed her head under his hand and leaned against his leg.

"She seems to like you, Tamaki," Mei noted.

"Maybe she knows that she reminds me of a dog my mother had," Tamaki said with a smile at the dog. He looked to Haruhi and Mei. "I know this might be a lot to ask, but do you think Queen Ranka or Misuzu would have any objections to the troupe keeping her with us?"

"I doubt Dad would," Haruhi said. "Yuko might have a problem with it…"

"If she does, my dad will overrule her! He loves dogs," Mei said. "I'd like to have one around the castle myself!"

"Then we'll keep her," Tamaki proclaimed.

"Tamaki, how do you propose we feed her?" Kyoya cut in.

"We'll figure it out!" Tamaki said with a dismissive wave. "I'm sure we can pick up some scraps from the kitchen, that sort of thing!"

"She needs a name," Momoka said. "Kazukiyo and I have just been calling her 'puppy.'"

"I know what her name needs to be!" Honey exclaimed. "Marie!"

"Hmmm, I don't know about that," Renge said. "It's too plain! What about Etiennette?"

"Too fancy!" the twins chorused.

Haruhi crossed over to Tamaki. "Since she seems to like you so much, why don't you name her? she suggested.

Tamaki rubbed the dog's head thoughtfully. After a moment, he said, "I have it! What about Antoinette?"

The dog let out a bark and began prancing about with a wagging tail.

"Well, she certainly seems to like that name," Momoka said.

Tamaki knelt down and affectionately ruffled the dog's coat. "Then her name will be Antoinette from now on!"

* * *

The next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **The crowd of courtiers and servants started to head for the door of the Great Hall, laughing about ghosts and ghouls.**_

 _ **But the first courtier to reach the door found it locked. They tried it again, but it wouldn't open.**_

 _ **The lights in the Great Hall puffed out all at once, sparking a chorus of terrified screams.**_

Oh dear. Seems like the ghosts might have gotten the best of the ghost hunters after all! Check back Monday to find out the final score between our Ghosts and Ghost Hunters!


	30. Chapter 30: The End of the Witching Hour

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! I'm starting with review responses as usual!

 **Guest (Admin MJ)** : I'm so glad you're still enjoying it! I know you're probably super busy, but it's great to hear from you again! Thanks MJ!

 **Anonymous:** Thank you so much! I'm glad to hear that it reads like a real novel. Since I'm coming from an original fiction writing background (mainly novels), I definitely wanted to give the same kinds of considerations to this fanfic as I would to any of my original works. The Zuka club is coming soon (they are actually in my next planned arc) so keep an eye out! And welcome to the world of fanfiction!

 **Little Bird** : I know! I wanted to include her, but up until this point, I wasn't sure how. I'm sure she'll pop up quite a bit in future chapters.

 **Hana Chouchou** : Thank you! I'm happy to hear that you're enjoying it so far! I'd love to hear your thoughts as you read!

So, my reader question for the week is... **are there any established characters that you would like to see more of?** I've gotten some great opinions on which characters need to be introduced in future chapters, but I'd like to know your opinions on any of the characters I've already introduced. Does it seem like someone needs some extra attention in the story? Are they getting shoved out of the spotlight? Or are you just so happy with their characterization that you'd _love_ to see more of them? Feel free to let me know in your reviews!

Next post will be on Thursday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which our ghost hunt comes to an end! Or...does it?

* * *

At the stroke of one, the ghost hunters gathered back in the Great Hall.

"Did you find anything?" one of the ladies asked a friend from another group.

"Well, no…We spent most of the night being scared by the shadows and sounds of ordinary things!" her friend replied. "did you find anything?"

"Nothing we can prove! But we thought we saw a dark shadow moving around in the halls behind us."

Similar reports filtered through the room. However, no one reported proof of Tamaki's ghost.

The troupe's ghost hunting groups gathered together in a tight knot to discuss what they would relate to the courtiers and servants.

"Do we tell them about the red-eyed ghost that the twins saw?" Tamaki asked.

"No way!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"Yeah, if we tell them, we also have to tell them we got lost from the rest of the group because we were scared!" Kaoru continued.

"Fine. We won't mention it. What about Kazukiyo's black shadow?" Tamaki looked to the courtier.

Kazukiyo shrugged. "I still think that was a person. They probably just ducked into an alcove or around the next corner and I missed them somehow. I can't believe that a ghost would sneeze!"

"Then we'll ask if anyone else attempted to interfere with the hunt," Tamaki declared. "So we have one case of mistaking a vase for a ghostly hand, potential pranking from a flesh and blood person and of course…"

Tamaki reached down to scratch Antoinette behind the ears. "One case of mistaken identity! Sound good?"

"Yeah," the group chorused.

But as they broke apart to ready for making the announcement, Tamaki put a hand on Haruhi's arm and took her aside.

"Do we tell them what we saw?" he asked.

Haruhi rubbed the back of her neck with a frown. "Well…it seems a little silly since we were the only two that saw it. It could have been a trick of the light."

Tamaki chuckled nervously. "Some trick!"

"Plus, if it wasn't your ghost, it seems like we might frighten the court unnecessarily. Whatever—or whoever—that was, they didn't seem like they wanted to scare us or hurt us," Haruhi finished.

"A wise decision," Tamaki said. "Oh, speaking of wise-I almost forgot."

He twisted his hands and produced a white rose. "I was going to give this to you before the hunt, but I thought it might get in the way."

Haruhi laughed and took the rose. "How on earth do you do that?"

"Oh Princess, what fun would it be if I told you all my secrets?" Tamaki asked.

Haruhi rolled her eyes at the use of her title, but Tamaki simply smiled. He scampered to the front of the room and cleared his throat. The gathering quieted to allow him to speak.

"Well everyone, it seems as if the ghost I saw has gone into hiding for the night. From what I gather from most of your conversations, fun has been far more abundant than actual ghost sightings. Which I think is a good thing."

The crowd murmured in agreement.

Tamaki went on, "As for the troupe, we had a night very similar to yours. In one case, a flower arrangement became a shadowy hand. In another, we mistook a new friend for a fearsome beast."

The courtiers and servants that had already met Antoinette chuckled.

"But, the last case is a bit of a quandary. You see, Kazukiyo believes that someone may have been playing tricks on us. After all, a sneezing black shadow hardly adds up to a ghost. So, I ask all of you now: did anyone feel the need to play a ghost during the night?"

The others looked to each other and discussed quietly for a few moments. But no one stepped forward to claim the tricks and no one accused their partners of such pranks.

"In that case, I will take that as a no. We can only assume that either our minds were the ones playing tricks or perhaps someone outside of the hunt decided to join us," Tamaki said.

"Or we have a ghost with a head-cold!" one servant shouted.

The room shook with laughter.

"Excellent point," Tamaki said with a grin. "But, with that out of the way, I believe we can declare the hunt over for the night. You may leave your lanterns with Kyoya. We will handle them from here. I hope everyone had a wonderful time and we all look forward to seeing you at our next performance."

"Night everyone! Don't let the ghosts bite!" Honey chirped, provoking another wave of chuckles.

After dropping off their lanterns, the crowd of courtiers and servants started to head for the door of the Great Hall, giggling about ghosts and ghouls.

But the first courtier to reach the door found it locked. They tried it again, but it wouldn't open.

The lights in the Great Hall puffed out all at once, sparking a chorus of terrified screams.

In the pitch-blackness, Haruhi took up the role of princess once again.

"I'm sure it was just a gust of wind!" She called to the frightened courtiers and staff. "Everyone stay calm!"

"What's that?" someone demanded.

An eerie blue light had appeared in one corner of the room. A black cloaked figure rose up in front of the light.

"That's the ghost I saw!" Tamaki cried.

This drew another series of panicked shouts. Haruhi swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure.

Red eyes suddenly gleamed out of the figure's face.

"That's the ghost we saw!" The twins cried.

The room broke down into complete hysteria. Haruhi found herself sandwiched between the terrified twins as a ghostly laugh filled the room.

"We'll protect you, Highness!" they exclaimed.

But the laughter abruptly came to a halt. The figure disappeared from sight as the unearthly blue light dimmed. A few moments later, the candles relit themselves without aid.

Kyoya strode over to the corner the ghost had appeared in.

"I think this is what we were all so surprised by," he said. He hoisted a pole high into the air. A cloaked figure floated above the room. Kyoya removed the cloak to reveal a simple scarecrow on a stick. Yet the group found this explanation unsatisfactory.

"What about the eyes?" Hikaru and Kaoru demanded.

"And that awful laughter!" Renge cried.

"And the candles! They can't just relight themselves!" a courtier added.

"Someone has to be playing tricks on us!"

"We need to track them down!"

Kyoya shook his head and glanced at the troupe's leader. Tamaki, still lily-white and shaking, shrugged helplessly.

But in the ensuing heated discussion, no one noticed the latch to the doors of the Great Hall clicking open again.

#

Nekozawa emerged from the secret passage connecting the Great Hall to one of the castle's central hallways, chuckling to himself. He rubbed his hands together with a grin. What a night!

"Nekozawa," someone called. Nekozawa turned to see Ranka and Misuzu approaching from the other end of the hall. He bowed.

"Well," Ranka began. "from the screams of terror I just heard in the Great Hall, I assume that you've given our ghost hunters something to talk about."

"They'll be discussing it for weeks, Majesty," Nekozawa said, trying to keep a straight face.

All three men broke down into laughter at once.

"For weeks? They'll talk about this for years! It will be a castle legend!" Misuzu exclaimed. "Ranka, wherever did you get the idea?"

"I didn't want our ghost hunters disappointed! And Tamaki's first sighting actually gave me the idea," Ranka replied.

Nekozawa blinked and straightened. "Majesty?"

"Tamaki describes the ghost he saw as a 'black cloaked figure.' I'm sure that if someone was merely doing their duty by checking on the troupe while they slept, it would be possible that in a half-awake state, Tamaki might have confused such an individual for a ghost," Ranka explained.

"Oh, yes. Um. Of course, Majesty," Nekozawa said.

"In any case, excellent work tonight," Ranka declared.

Nekozawa offered another bow. "Thank you, Majesty."

"Now that I've seen our little scheme has been successful, I believe it's time for all of us to retire to bed," Ranka said. He started up the stairs to the royal wing. Yet as he did, a gust of cool wind swirled down the hallway. The trio paused and glanced about curiously.

"That's quite strange!" Misuzu remarked. "I'll have to get that draft looked into!"

Nekozawa merely nodded. But he couldn't shake the sensation that someone was watching them as they parted for the night.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"So, did you see anything on your ghost hunt last night?" Ranka trilled.**_

 _ **Haruhi took a sip of her tea. "Well…I think I saw a ghost while I was with Tamaki."**_

 _ **"Oh, tell me all about it! Was it that terrifying cloaked figure?" Ranka asked.**_

 _ **"No. You're going to think I'm silly."**_

 _ **"Of course not! The castle has all kinds of legends about ghosts! I wouldn't be surprised if you saw one." Ranka reached for his tea.**_

 _ **"Well…when we were in the north wing looking for the twins…I think we saw the ghost of Queen Mizuki."**_

 _ **Ranka spat out his tea in a splutter and began coughing.**_

What's this? Has Haruhi surprised his father? What could this mean? Check back Thursday to find out!


	31. Chapter 31: Superstitions

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **panda808:** Thank you so much! You have no idea how much a compliment like that means, especially in regards to c _ommedia dell'arte_. I've never had any experience with acting, but I've always thought _commedia dell'arte_ was such an interesting form (I blame the film _Scaramouche_ for that!) When I started writing this fanfiction, I mostly pulled my research from seemingly credible websites on the form and watching a few performances on Youtube. I did bug a couple of my friends with experience in theatre for fact-checks, but they didn't have a ton of experience with _commedia_ specifically. I'm so glad to hear that my research seems to have paid off! Thank you again and I hope you enjoy the rest of the fanfiction just as much!

 **swimmer1102** : Ah yes! Kasanoda will be returning _quite_ soon! Great to hear from you again, hope you're enjoying it!

 **Anonymous:** I'm so glad! Kyoya will have his own chapter at some point, but it may be a while before that point. In any case, I'm sure I'll be able to work him in more in the chapters in the next arc. Because I am terribly nosy, I do have to ask: are you the same anon from chapter 30 or a new reviewer? As i've said before, I'm happy to receive guest/anonymous reviews. I just like to keep track of new reviewers and repeat reviewers so I can add shout-outs or notes when I include something the reviewer has been looking forward to. I hope this update lives up to your excitement!

Again, the reader question for the week is: **are there any established characters that you would like to see more of?** Anyone and everyone is fair game, as long as they've already been introduced into the fic!

Next update will be on Monday as usual!

Now onto the next chapter-in which Ranka gets a bit of a surprise.

* * *

The morning after the ghost hunt, an ornate note with careful sketches of birds and swirls arrived in Haruhi's chambers. It read: "Breakfast at ten-thirty!" Haruhi smiled, carefully refolded the note and stored it in a drawer in her writing desk that was overflowing with similar notes.

She arrived at the queen's chambers shortly before half-past ten. Her knock was answered by a cheerful trill of: "Come in!"

Yet, when Haruhi stepped into the chambers, she saw that a guest was with the queen. She paused. "Oh—"

The guest got up, trotted over to her and licked her hand. Antoinette's tail wagged madly as Haruhi scratched her behind the ears.

"Ah, so I see you've already met my visitor," Ranka said. "Where did she come from? I just know that she slipped in my rooms this morning while I had the door cracked."

"We don't really know. Kazukiyo and Momoka found her during the ghost hunt. I assume that she snuck in from one of the courtyards. Someone probably left a door to the castle open during the hunt," Haruhi said.

"She's been very well behaved," Ranka commented as Antoinette padded over to him and sat at his feet. He tossed the golden dog a piece of bread which she wolfed down eagerly. "I'm sure she'll be quite happy when she finds the kitchen. Especially on the nights that Misuzu decides to cook. Now sit down, get your breakfast! I want to hear about _everything_ that happened."

And so Haruhi related the events of the night before, beginning with the twins' teasing of Kazukiyo. When she told him of Renge and Sumire's scare with the silk flower arrangement, he chuckled.

"You know, I used to think that arrangement looked like a hand myself! I'm glad to see I'm not the only one!"

She then went on to describe the twins' encounter with the black cloaked ghost and the subsequent search for them. Upon hearing that the two had been discovered cowering in a closet, Ranka laughed so hard that he collapsed into a heap on the table.

After the queen regained his composure, Haruhi related the search for Kazukiyo and the encounter with Antoinette. She ended her tale with the cloaked scarecrow.

"Who do you think was playing tricks on you?" Ranka asked.

Haruhi shrugged. "I don't know. But they must have heard Tamaki's story about the ghost. Maybe they wanted him to look silly. In any case, that scarecrow can't have been what Tamaki or the twins saw."

"Well, you never know," Ranka said. He tossed another piece of bread to Antoinette. "So, did _you_ see anything on your ghost hunt last night?"

Haruhi took a sip of her tea. "Well…it's strange…"

"You did see a ghost! Oh, tell me all about it! Was it a terrifying black shadow?" Ranka asked.

"No. You're going to think I'm silly."

"Of course not! The castle has all kinds of legends about ghosts! I wouldn't be surprised if you saw one." Ranka reached for his tea. "When did you see it?"

"I was with Tamaki…We were in the north wing looking for the twins."

"Yes?" Ranka prompted as he took a sip of his tea.

"I think we saw the ghost of Queen Mizuki," Haruhi said.

Ranka spat out his tea in a splutter and began coughing.

"Dad! Are you okay?" Haruhi began to rise from her seat, but Ranka held up a hand, shaking his head.

"I'm fine," he wheezed.

After a while longer, the coughing fit subsided. Ranka took a deep breath. "Are you _sure_ you saw Queen Mizuki's ghost?"

Haruhi nodded cautiously. "I think so. We had just been looking at the portrait of her. Of course, it might have just been my imagination. But Tamaki saw her too."

Ranka leaned his head back and stared at the elaborately decorated ceiling for a long moment. Then, he looked to Haruhi with a nod. "If you both say you saw her, then I'm sure you did."

Yet, without a glance at the clock, he rose from the table. "Oh my, look at the time. I'm afraid I do have some business to take care of this morning. I'm so sorry sweetheart, but I do need to handle it by myself."

"Of course," Haruhi said as she stood. "Do you want me to take Antoinette?"

"No, no, she's fine." Ranka pulled his daughter into a tight hug. After an even longer moment than usual, he released her. "I'll see you at dinner."

"Right," Haruhi said. She went to the door and cast one uncertain glance back at her father before leaving the chambers.

#

The banners in the Great Hall changed from purple to blue and back again three times that day. After the third change, Misuzu squared his shoulders and set off for the…king's chambers.

He knocked on the chamber door.

"Who is it?" Ryoji answered faintly.

"Misuzu."

"Oh, Misuzu, come in!"

Misuzu hesitated as he put his hand to the doorknob. The king sounded upset. What on earth could be wrong?

He walked into the chambers, prepared for chaos. But the sitting room was calm and in order. The dog Mei had told him about this morning was sitting under the table.

"Is the door closed?" Ryoji's voice floated from his bedroom.

"Yes, it is."

"Misuzu, it's terrible! The kingdom is doomed!" Ryoji wailed as he sailed out of the bedroom. Misuzu blinked. The monarch wasn't in the garb of the queen, nor was he in the garb of the king. Instead, he was wearing a strange mix of both outfits.

"Ryo…Ran…" After these two false starts, Misuzu paused, looking to the monarch for an indication.

"Ryoji is fine," Ryoji stated with a wave of his hand.

"Ryoji, what is wrong? How has doom been declared in a morning?" Misuzu asked.

"That blasted ghost hunt!" Ryoji cried, sinking down onto a low bench. Misuzu watched the golden dog rise from her spot. She walked over and rested her head on Ryoji's lap. The agitated king rubbed her head.

"What about it?" Misuzu asked.

"Haruhi! She saw Queen Mizuki's ghost! While she was with that… _jester_!"

Misuzu flipped through his knowledge of Queen Mizuki and her ghost. None of it related to disaster. "What is wrong with that?"

"Don't you know the legend?"

Misuzu shook his head, mystified.

"Queen Mizuki only appears to the rightful rulers of Ichio!" Ryoji declared.

So that was it. Misuzu sighed. "Ryoji, it's just a superstition."

"Oh? And I suppose the bit about sugared chestnuts is 'just a superstition' too!"

Misuzu tried not to groan. He blamed Ryoji's mother for this unwavering belief in any old wives' tales. It was all her fault. She never should have told him that sugared chestnuts would make a person fall in love. After Ryoji met Kotoko in front of a chestnut vendor, the king believed anything and everything.

"If it is true, which it is probably not," Misuzu began. "is it really all that bad? That 'jester'—who are you referring to?"

"Tamaki!" Ryoji spat.

"Then why are you so worried? He seems to be a very pleasant and upstanding young man," Misuzu said.

"He's a jester! A performer! He has no political connections, no family name to speak of. You know how desperate our political situation is!"

"But if—"

Misuzu stopped mid-sentence as Ryoji jumped up from the bench and strode to his bedroom. The king continued his rant from the bedroom. "And on top of that, if he's the rightful ruler, that means that he'll be marrying Haruhi!"

"I thought that you wanted Haruhi to marry," Misuzu said.

"Not before her eighteenth birthday!"

"Then why is Yuko here?"

"To find a suitable match! My courtship with Kotoko lasted for a year!"

Misuzu nodded. He saw where Ryoji's distraught mind was going. "Do you think Tamaki would court her for a shorter time?"

"Yes! They've already become close friends—look at all the time she's spent with him in a matter of months!"

"I don't believe she's spent that time alone with him. Most of it seems to have been spent with the entire troupe."

"In any case, they're too close for my comfort! And if that…that… _jester_ thinks he's going to marry _my_ little girl—"

Ryoji clumped out of the bedroom in a heavy suit of ceremonial armor. He put a hand on the hilt of the sword. "He'll do it over my dead body!"

Misuzu narrowed his eyes. "Ryoji, don't say things like that. It's not funny and we both know you don't mean it."

Ryoji stared at his advisor. One of the hastily tied silk cords holding the armor together loosened and the chest piece of the armor fell off with a clonk. Ryoji looked down at the piece, then up at his advisor with a sheepish look. They both knew that while the king could make an excellent diplomat, he was far from being a warrior.

"But Misuzu, what are we going to do?" Ryoji asked.

"In the first place, you're going to stop worrying about a superstition. It's childish," Misuzu stated. Ryoji nodded glumly.

"In the second place, if this legend is true—which again, I highly doubt—then there's no use fighting it. If the boy is meant to be the rightful ruler of Ichio, then where is the problem? Wouldn't you prefer for Ichio to be ruled by two fair monarchs that love each other? Even if it doesn't equate to an alliance or elevation in Ichio's political standing?"

Ryoji hung his head. "I would…but I don't know how to feel about this. None of Haruhi's other suitors ever presented so much as a minor threat. I knew she would send them away easily. This is something else entirely."

Misuzu wasn't sure what advice to offer. As a father, he was sure he would feel the same about Mei. But he trusted her. He was sure that she would choose a good man to marry.

Something seemed to occur to Ryoji in this moment of silence. He raised his head, eyes blazing in determination. "I know! If the troupe's leader believes he'll have my daughter's hand easily, then he has something else coming! It is my duty to test him until he has proven his worth! From here on, Tamaki Grantaine is my sworn enemy!"

Ryoji flung his arms out at the statement. With this gesture, the rest of the armor crashed to the floor. Misuzu shook his head as the king chuckled with an awkward smile. The advisor went to help pick up the pieces of armor, but his thoughts were quite somewhere else.

" _Haruhi's birthday is only a few months away_. _With a reaction like this,_ _I don't know if Ryoji will be ready to let her go even after that…regardless of the suitor she chooses."_

* * *

And the next chapter update is...

 _ **"Take a left, then a right, then another left—or was it right? Oh, I don't know…" Kasanoda found himself standing in an empty courtyard. He sighed.**_

 _ **"Great, how am I supposed to show up for work if I can't find anyone to tell them?" he muttered.**_

 _ **"Are you lost?"**_

 _ **He glanced up to see a figure in a rose dress and yellow apron. He nodded.**_

 _ **"Ye…yeah. I am."**_

 _ **"Well—let me see if I can help you!"**_

I promised Kasanoda would be back soon, swimmer1102! But what has our bandit gotten himself into? Check back Monday to find out!


	32. Chapter 32: The Bandit Gardener

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well. Review responses are up first!

 **Sheepgirl418:** Those are always good responses to see! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **tmwilson3** : Oh thank you so much! I'm always happy to hear from new readers enjoying the fic. Your answer to the question with the Zuka club will be arriving in approximately two or three chapters! Thank you for the review!

 **Little Bird** : Oh yes. Superstitions are _always_ fun to play with. Glad to hear you enjoyed the chapter!

 **swimmer1102** : Thank you! I've really enjoyed writing Ryoji/Ranka so far-there will definitely be more chapters with him in the future!

 **Anonymous:** Fantastic-great to see return reviewers! Kasanoda will have the next couple of chapters to himself, so enjoy!

 **whathappensafter** : Yes! Mei will be popping up quite soon. I think she'll have much more of a role in the next arc than she did during the ghost hunt. Keep an eye for her!

My reader question for this week is more just for fun. Some of my reviewers have given plot predictions which I find very interesting. So, my question is: **what do you think will happen next** **?** Anything within the next two or three chapters is fair game!

The next update will be on Thursday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which Kasanoda applies for a job.

* * *

Kasanoda shuffled uneasily in the foyer of the service entrance in Shikanai's castle. The hall was narrow and the windowless walls were made of stone. Enclosed places like this always made him nervous. It meant there was no escape route.

A passing maid paused upon catching sight of him. "Can I help you?"

"Uh, um, yeah. Someone let me in and left...I'm uh…I'm supposed to be here for a…gardening job," Kasanoda said.

"Oh yes! You probably need to see Miyabi! You know, he should be around here somewhere…" The maid turned to a young girl with dark hair who had just walked out of a nearby corridor. "Hina, have you seen Miyabi?"

"He's in the dining hall I think," the girl replied.

"Would you mind showing this gentleman the way there?"

Hina beamed at Kasanoda. "Of course not! Follow me!"

The girl bounced down the hall. Kasanoda watched her for a moment, stunned.

" _This girl isn't afraid of me…And the maid isn't either…? What's with this place?"_

"Are you coming?" Hina trilled.

Kasanoda shook himself out of his daze and went after her.

"So you're going to be one of our new gardeners?" Hina asked.

"I…uh…hope so."

After weeks of Kasanoda's unsuccessful search for work, Tetsuya had returned to camp with a description of a gardener's position at the castle. Tetsuya had heard about the position through a coworker at the local bakery and thought it would be a good match. After much cajoling, Kasanoda had been convinced to apply for the job.

"Well, if you like to garden, what's your favorite kind of plant?"

"Um…morning glories I guess."

"I love them too! They're so pretty," Hina said.

A few other servants passed them in the hall. Hina offered a cheerful hello to all of them. In each case, the return greeting was just as enthusiastic.

" _Everyone seems so happy…_ " Kasanoda thought.

"So…everyone seems pretty cheerful," he remarked.

"Oh, that's because we've just gotten good news! Well, it's a legend really. But it's still a good omen!" Hina chirped.

"What's that?"

"There was a ghost hunt in the castle a few days ago. I didn't get to go, but I heard all about it from the other servants. Someone in the castle saw the ghost of Queen Mizuki! That means that there's good fortune ahead for the royal family." Hina turned around with a smile. "I personally hope it means that Princess Haruhi will finally find her true love! All of these suitors that have been visiting have been just awful! But no one has been to court her in months now…"

Kasanoda clamped his mouth shut as thoughts of the king of Alsance popped into his head. Just because the king wanted to court the princess didn't mean that he could. Or that it was going well at the moment.

In the last few weeks, he had heard very little from the troupe. Sure, he had stopped to watch a few of their performances in the city but usually he couldn't stay long as he scared off other audience members. Maybe if he got this job, he would be able to communicate with the troupe more. After all, they had to need _something_ from him. He did have a loyalty debt to repay.

"Here's the dining hall. Miyabi?" Hina walked into a room with Kasanoda following after her. A dark haired young man in rough work clothes glanced up from his meal. Kasanoda nearly recoiled from how much he looked like Kyoya.

"He's here about the gardening job," Hina explained.

The young man nodded. "Okay, thanks Hina."

"You're welcome!" she replied. With one last bright smile at Kasanoda, Hina left the room.

"So, I'm Miyabi, the head gardener's assistant. I'm afraid Hina didn't mention your name," Miyabi said as he stood from the table.

"Cassanova. Ritsu Cassanova."

"Good to meet you, Ritsu. I would say that you were hired immediately and let's get to work, but I'm afraid the selection has been taken out of my hands. You see, you actually need to visit Misuzu Sonoda. He has asked to take over hiring for the new gardener," Miyabi explained.

"Oh."

"Anyway, Misuzu keeps very busy, but you can usually find him around the Great Hall. You'll need to head upstairs—if you take a left down this hallway it will lead you to the stairs. Then take a right down the first hall at the top of the steps, a left down the hall it dead ends into, then the next right, an immediate left and another two rights after that."

Kasanoda frantically attempted to commit the directions to memory.

"Do you have all that?" Miyabi asked.

"Ye—yeah, of course," Kasanoda said.

"Great. Well, good luck!"

"Thanks."

With that, Kasanoda set off to find his potential employer.

Unfortunately, the castle above the servants quarters turned out to be a maze. Kasanoda repeated Miyabi's directions in his head over and over.

" _Take a left, then a right, then another left—or was it right? Oh, I don't know…"_ Kasanoda soon found himself standing in an empty courtyard. He sighed.

"Great, how am I supposed to show up to work if I can't find the person hiring me?" he muttered.

"Are you lost?"

He glanced up to see a figure in a rose dress and yellow apron. He nodded. "Ye…yeah. I am."

"Well—let me see if I can help you! Who are you looking for?"

"Someone named Misuzu."

"Ah! Then you're in luck! That's me!" The figure hurried over to him.

Kasanoda nodded, trying to keep any expression of surprise off of his face as Misuzu approached. He had never seen...anyone that dressed like this before. Admittedly, his exposure to people had been limited. But he hadn't seen men in Shikanai dressed in such a fashion. Maybe the trend was limited to the castle...

In any case, Kasanoda still needed the job and this man was in charge of hiring.

" _Keep it together._ _Don't screw this up, Ritsu,"_ he thought.

"So, what do you need?" Misuzu asked.

"I'm here for the gardening job." Kasanoda managed to speak in an even tone.

Misuzu's eyes lit. "Oh perfect! You have no idea how long I've been waiting for someone to fill this position! Come with me!"

Misuzu grabbed Kasanoda's arm and steered him out of the courtyard.

* * *

So, the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"We've had quite a problem with this," Misuzu said as he opened the door to the greenhouse. "But I think you'll have some luck with it—I get the feeling you have a green thumb!"**_

 _ **Kasanoda stared at the greenhouse in disbelief as he stepped inside. Limp and wilted plants stood on every shelf.**_

 _ **How on earth could he fix this?**_

Oh no. Seems like Kasanoda is in quite a mess. How will he get out of it? Check back Thursday to find out!


	33. Chapter 33: The Queen's Greenhouse

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **tmwillson3** : Ah, another Mei and Kasanoda shipper? In that case, I'm sure you'll enjoy this chapter!

 **Anonymous** : Oh your prediction very well could be right! :) Read on and see!

The reader question for this week is again, **what do you think will happen next** **?** Predictions within the next two or three chapters are welcome!

I also have fantastic news! This fanfic has officially hit over 10K views! As a thank you to all of my fantastic readers, I would like to introduce a new segment called **The Reader Wishlist!** Within this segment, I will bring up certain characters or aspects that may not have much information to pull from in the manga or anime or that I'm simply having difficulty working in. Readers may then provide head-canons, suggestions or scenarios that they really wanted to see in the anime or manga and didn't get (or even scenarios unrelated to the manga/anime they want to see within this AU). I will then try to work these aspects into the story where I can and a shout-out will be given to the reader whose wishlist is being used. I may not be able to work everything in, but I will do my best. I simply request that all head canons, suggestions and scenarios stick to a **very strict PG-13 rating _at worst_** _._ This is a T rated fiction and I intend to keep it that way, so _please_ no violent, sexually explicit or excessively dark requests. Keep within the lighthearted spirit of the anime, the manga and this fanfic.

That being said, my wishlist topic of the week is: **Mori's** **backstory!** I really have very little to go on with Mori from the original material. I do have somewhat of a backstory in mind for him, but a good bit of it is tied up in Honey's backstory.  So, what's on your wishlist for Mori?

The next update will be on Monday as usual!

Now onto the next chapter-in which a certain advisor has plans for a greenhouse.

* * *

Misuzu dragged Kasanoda through corridor and courtyard until they reached a courtyard consisting of nothing but a clearing of grass. A shining glass greenhouse stood in the midst of the area. Kasanoda looked on worriedly as Misuzu scurried to the door with a key in hand.

"We've had quite a problem with this," Misuzu said as he opened the door to the greenhouse. "But I think you'll have some luck with it—I get the feeling you have a green thumb!"

Kasanoda stared at the greenhouse in disbelief as he stepped inside. Limp and wilted plants stood on every shelf.

How on earth could he fix this?

"This is…uh…quite a job," he said with a long sigh.

"Are you open to making an attempt to restore it? Our last gardener in this position got sick of the project and quit. But this greenhouse belonged to the late queen. In fact, the entire garden did," Misuzu said. "We've tried to keep it up, but you see the results."

"The late queen?" Kasanoda echoed.

"Queen Kotoko passed away about twelve years ago. It will be thirteen soon. Since you didn't know, I assume you're not from Ichio?"

Kasanoda shook his head.

"Then you also wouldn't know that the princess's birthday is coming up in a few months. That's why I've been pushing this project. I'd like to see the greenhouse and garden restored by the time of her birthday celebration. That way, it could be a birthday present. I think it would make her happy. The king as well," Misuzu continued.

As Misuzu spoke, Kasanoda knelt down to examine one of the plants. He lifted up a drooping leaf, taking in the yellow spots. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew what this was. He just couldn't remember what. Long-lost lessons given to him from a botanist that once asked to travel with his father's band of men tried to return to the forefront of his mind. Maybe he could do something after all. Besides, he felt a pang of empathy for the princess who had lost her mother at such a young age.

"When is the princess's birthday?" Kasanoda asked.

"At the beginning of February."

Kasanoda made a few mental calculations. That did give him a few months. Surely he could do something with this place by then. But he would have to have something to go on.

"Are there any books on plants in the castle? I'll have to identify each of these and make sure they're receiving the proper care," Kasanoda said as he stood.

"Oh, yes! There are plenty of books on botany in the library. Everyone in the castle has access to it. Would you like to see it?"

Kasanoda nodded.

Misuzu led him back through the garden and through more twisting turns of the castle. They finally reached a set of large wooden doors which Misuzu threw open.

"This is it. All of our botany books should be over here," he said, guiding Kasanoda over to a set of dusty shelves. Kasanoda scanned the titles and smiled. He would definitely be able to work with this.

Misuzu left after extracting an assurance from Kasanoda that he would find the advisor again to make living arrangements within the castle. The bandit-turned-gardener certainly hadn't expected to be living in the castle. But it might be useful in aiding the troupe's endeavors. And he could visit his men at the camp any time.

In the silence of the library, Kasanoda took down a stack of the books and began paging through them. He made careful notes on pieces of paper Misuzu had given him. He became so absorbed in his work that he didn't notice someone walking up to his desk.

"Who are you?"

Kasanoda jumped, cracking his legs against the bottom of the desk and scattering books to the floor. His head snapped up to observe his questioner.

"Well you're jumpy, that's for sure," the young woman said. Her face had been powdered with white makeup and her cheeks painted with rouge. Surely this wasn't the princess.

"I'm—I'm the new gardener, Ritsu Cassanova," Kasanoda said as he scrambled down to pick up his notes and the books.

"Oh?" the girl stooped to pick up some of the books. She glanced at the covers. "Oh! Dad hired you on to take care of the greenhouse, didn't he?"

"Yeah. You're Misuzu's daughter?"

"Yep. I'm Mei—the princess's lady-in-waiting.

Kasanoda let out a breath of relief. "Good. For a second there, I was wondering if you were the princess."

Mei snorted. "Ha! Definitely not. Princess Haruhi and I are nothing alike. I would say you could see it for yourself, but she usually keeps to herself. If you spend enough time in here, you might see her."

Kasanoda filed this bit of information away for future reference. He would need to be careful not to reveal Misuzu's plan if he ever ran into the princess.

"Anyway, sorry for scaring you. I'm surprised a tough-looking guy like you gets scared though," Mei said as she started to hand him the books she had collected.

"That's what everyone says," Kasanoda muttered.

But Mei didn't seem to hear him. "But, then again, I guess everyone is always judging a book by its cover," she added.

Kasanoda glanced up at her, surprised by the rueful note in her voice. She smiled at him.

" _It's almost like…she understands_ ," Kasanoda thought.

Mei picked the last book from the floor and held it out to him. He took it, accidentally brushing against her fingertips as he did. He jerked the book back, looking away to disguise the flush rising to his face.

If Mei noticed his reaction, she gave him no indication of it. She rose, a slight smile still at her lips. "Well, guess I'll see you around the castle at some point. Good luck with the greenhouse."

"Th…thanks." He still wasn't sure if he could look back at her.

Light footsteps eventually faded away and the library door shut. Kasanoda returned to his work, wondering how on earth a lady-in-waiting could understand…a gardener.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Haruhi dashed through the empty street. She had to get to the square—fast. She'd never hear the end of it if her lateness delayed a troupe performance.**_

 _ **But someone had carelessly sloshed a slippery splash of grease onto the cobblestones. Haruhi's foot slid and she fell back, arms windmilling wildly.**_

 _ **Yet she never hit the ground. Someone caught her. She looked up at her savior, who smiled.**_

 _ **"You should be more careful. It would be a shame if any harm came to that adorable face of yours…my lady."**_

Do I need an introduction here? I think not! Check back Monday to read about Haruhi's newest conundrum!


	34. Chapter 34: New Rivals Appear!

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **A.A. Enchanted Crystal Blade** : Ding ding ding! You are absolutely correct! And the fun is just getting started in this chapter! Thank you for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **theDaughterofPosiedon:** I'm so glad you're enjoying it so much and I'm always happy to see new readers! Like in the anime and manga, the twins will have their moments with Haruhi. But I'm afraid they aren't Haruhi's saving grace in this chapter. Thank you so much for the review!

 **swimmer1102:** I have to admit, I loved writing Ritsu and Mei's little moment. But I'm so glad you're hyped for the Lobelia arc!

 **Sheepgirl418:** Your sniffer is quite correct! I'm afraid the aroma only gets stronger from this chapter on!

 **tmwillson3:** That is an excellent idea to incorporate Satoshi more! And I totally understand what you mean with the training scenes-another great suggestion. Thank you!

 **lillyannp:** It's great to see that you're back from vacation! I hope it was nice! I see you have a lot of potential shippings/plot points there. I can say that I would definitely like to incorporate Chika and Satoshi later on. And I will also note that Reiko is paired with Honey already. It's been a while since we've heard from her, but she should have a cameo soon!

 **whathappensafter** : Oh yes, I couldn't include those two without throwing them together a bit! I'm glad you're happy with the story direction so far and hope that this chapter lives up to your expectations!

The reader question for the week is fairly simple. Because I know so many people have been sooooo looking forward to the appearance of the Zuka club, I have to ask **how long would you like for the Zuka club arc to last?** Two chapters? Three? Four? Dare I say...as long as the ghost hunt arc? Let me know your opinions!

The Reader Wishlist topic is still the same for this so give me whatever you'd like to see with **Mori's backstory!** Just remember to keep it PG-13 or less! The topic will be changing on Thursday, so keep an eye out!

The next update will be on Thursday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a certain trio elbows their way into the acting troupe's affairs!

* * *

Haruhi twisted in the grip of dreams of black knights and royal ghosts.

"Haruhi! Wake up!"

The princess snapped awake at Mei's insistent call. A book skittered off of her bed and to the floor with a thump.

"Mei, what time is it?" Haruhi asked.

"A little past ten o'clock, why?"

Haruhi leapt from her bed. "Oh no! I'm late!"

She scurried to find her commoner's clothes.

"What? Late for what?"

"Staging for a performance of course!" Haruhi exclaimed, struggling to pull on her trousers.

She finally managed to put on her clothes. Yet, her hair stubbornly refused any of her attempts to pin it up.

"Stop, stop! You're going to poke your eye out or stab yourself like that," Mei said. The lady-in-waiting hurried over. With a few competent twirls and twists, Haruhi's hair had been pinned up neatly. Mei placed Haruhi's cap on over her pinning handiwork and offered a smile. "Okay, you're perfect. Now go, don't keep them waiting!"

"Thanks Mei!" With that, Haruhi rushed out of her chambers and down to the kitchen yard.

The main streets of the city were busy with morning traffic. Yet after weeks of performing with the troupe, she had developed a fairly accurate mental map of the city. She dodged down twisting alleys until she came to a smaller side avenue that few ever traveled.

Haruhi dashed through the empty street. She had to get to the square—fast. She'd never hear the end of it if her lateness delayed a performance.

But someone had carelessly sloshed a slippery splash of grease onto the cobblestones. Haruhi's foot slid and she fell back, arms windmilling wildly.

She never hit the ground. Someone caught her. She looked up at her savior, who smiled.

"You should be more careful. It would be a shame if any harm came to that adorable face of yours…my lady."

#

Behind the makeshift stage in the square, Tamaki paced anxiously.

"Haruhi is never this late! What on earth could have delayed her?" he asked.

"She could have overslept," Kyoya suggested.

"The cold weather does make it harder to get up in the morning!" Honey chirped.

"Haruhi would never be that absent-minded," Tamaki said. He paused as his mind seized on a potential explanation. "Oh no—but what if she's ill? Or worse, what if she injured herself on the way here? Or what if a group of ruffians snatched her from the street?"

The troupe leader's pacing grew more and more frantic as his gesticulating swept out in greater and greater arcs.

"Milord, calm down. I'm sure she's fine," Kaoru said as he tugged a crate into place.

"How can you say that?" Tamaki cried. "She's fifteen minutes late!"

"My, is this the _Triomphe de la Comedie_ that everyone's been raving about?" A woman's voice cut Tamaki's rising panic short. The troupe swiveled as one to face two young women.

The one with long brown hair smirked and said, "Well, what do you think, Hinagiku?"

Her shorter companion narrowed grey eyes and surveyed the group. "I think I expected something a bit more impressive, Suzuran."

This insult seemed to tweak Tamaki out of his hysteria. He shook his head and straightened with a charming smile.

"Well, ladies, I'm afraid you've caught us a bit before our performance. We usually don't receive an audience this early," he said.

"Oh dear, his ego is quite easily bruised," Suzuran commented.

"Quite a pathetic specimen," Hinagiku added.

Tamaki's mouth dropped open. "Wha…what?"

Seeing his leader's hesitation, Kyoya decided to step in. "Ladies, I am afraid we must ask you to leave. We have a great deal to prepare before our performance."

"You call yourself an acting troupe? You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. After all, _life_ is a performance!" A third woman's voice declared.

With a flourish, a tall brunette pirouetted from behind a nearby crate. The troupe members started as they realized she had Haruhi tucked under one arm.

The brunette glanced over the backstage area and shook her head in disgust. "Such lack of polish. It's a crime! _Truly_ great thespians should be ready to act at any moment!"

She spun Haruhi about and dropped the wide-eyed "commoner" into a low dip. "My lady, surely you are not with these fools."

"'My lady?'" The troupe chorused in shocked unison.

"Oh, Benibara, where _did_ you find this little diamond in the rough?" Suzuran exclaimed, taking Haruhi's hand.

"I saved her from a potentially unfortunate accident on a side street. These rough clothes didn't fool me. I knew she was a maiden from the moment I saw her. Look at these shining eyes." Benibara sighed, putting a hand on Haruhi's cheek.

Haruhi reddened. "Uh, um, thanks?"

"And her skin! It's so soft," Hinagiku cooed, running a hand over Haruhi's free arm.

Tamaki blanched with rage. "How dare you touch her! Haven't you ever heard of boundaries?"

"How dare _you_ speak of boundaries? What kind of servitude have you put this poor sweet maiden into?" Benibara snarled.

"Wait a second, servitude?" Haruhi echoed.

"Of course! What other reason could you possibly have for disguising your gender?" Suzuran asked.

"Um…" Haruhi trailed off.

"Who are you guys anyway? What makes you think you have the right to barge in here like this?" Hikaru demanded.

Benibara smirked and rose, releasing Haruhi from her grasp. "I'm glad you asked. To some, we are known as the Order of the Ladies of the White Lily. But, to a far greater audience, we are known as…"

The trio tossed away their skirts and simple shirts to reveal elaborately detailed costumes. All three fell into practiced poses. "The Lobelia Troupe!"

* * *

And the next chapter's excerpt is...

 _ **The members of Le Triomphe de la Comedie stared blankly at The Lobelia Troupe. The three girls held their poses with bright smiles.**_

 _ **Hikaru and Kaoru snorted and broke down laughing. "Oh that's rich! What a name!" Kaoru cried.**_

 _ **"'Lobelia Troupe?' Why not call yourselves 'The Pukeweed Troupe' or 'The Gagroot Performers?'" Hikaru howled.**_

 _ **"I wouldn't be so quick to laugh if I were you." Another figure stepped backstage.**_

What's this? A lesson for the acting troupe? And who could it be from? Check back Thursday to find out!


	35. Chapter 35: The Poisonous Flowers

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well. Review responses up first as usual!

 **whathappensafter** : Heard and duly noted! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **DiamondSparkle42** : Fantastic, I'm very glad you're happy! Thank you for the review-it's always great to see new readers.

 **swimmer1102:** That's wonderful-thank you so much! If your friends decide to review, please ask them to mention that you sent them! I will file the chapter with Renge away for future reference. It might be a great deal different than the anime or manga as it would need to be a flashback taking place in Alsance (and thus not include Haruhi), but I'm sure I could work something out!

 **A.A. Enchanted Crystal Blade:** Well, I'm afraid I can't comment on your plot points up here...but take a look at the ending author's note! In any case, thank you so much-your supportiveness is very sweet!

 **tmwillson3:** Understood! I will keep that in mind!

 **Little Bird:** If you can't tell, I'm not exactly a Zuka fan myself. But, I have to admit, they're great antagonists for the story. I'm actually enjoying writing them more than I expected. But I already have a few plot twists in mind involving this Lobelia Troupe!

Before I go on, I did want to take a second to thank all of my readers. For personal reasons I'd rather not get into, this has been a very bad week for me. If any of you have noticed that the chapters were posted a bit late in the day this week, that's why. But, seeing such excited reviews and my usual view/visitor count really helped me immensely through the last few days. Your support really does mean a lot to me and I'm always incredibly glad to hear from any of you. That being said, I think I will be feeling back to normal by next week and it shouldn't affect this fanfic's schedule. And hopefully, with this week past, I will be able to get ahead of the posting schedule again instead of writing behind it as I have been.

Now, the reader question for the week is still the same: **how long would you like for the Zuka club arc to last?** I'm taking all opinions so send them in!

Since it's Thursday, the Reader Wishlist question is going to change! This week, I'd like to know: **are there any scenarios/headcanons that you have for Kyoya and Haruhi?** I feel like I should include at least a few moments between these two, but I don't have much to draw from in the anime or manga. I do want to note that the events regarding these two in the beach episode in the manga and anime are not going to be included. Mostly because I think that Kyoya would be destroyed by one monarch or the other for pulling such a stunt. However, if you have any other scenarios that are a PG-13 rating or less, send them in!

The next update will be on Monday as usual!

So, onto the next chapter-in which the Lobelia Troupe poses more of a problem than expected.

* * *

The members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ stared blankly at The Lobelia Troupe. The three girls held their poses with bright smiles.

Hikaru and Kaoru snorted and broke down laughing. "Oh that's rich! What a name!" Kaoru cried.

"'Lobelia?' Why not call yourselves 'The Pukeweed Troupe' or 'The Gagroot Performers?'" Hikaru howled.

"I wouldn't be so quick to laugh if I were you." Another figure stepped backstage. The troupe members looked to Renge, who twirled her parasol with a smile.

"The Lobelia Troupe is one of the oldest and most respected acting troupes I know of. Legend states that a group known as the Zuka Sisterhood exists for the sole purpose of training maidens to be brilliant performers. Their instruction takes place in the mountains of a far away dominion. And once that training is complete, the best performers are gathered into troupes that are sent to travel across kingdoms. And of those maidenly troupes, the Lobelia Troupe is the greatest," Renge explained.

"Renge, may I ask how you know this?" Kyoya asked.

"I keep up with dramatic culture of course! Anyone who knows anything about the dramatic arts knows about the Zuka Sisterhood and the Lobelia Troupe," she chirped.

"She's right," Suzuran agreed, breaking from her pose. "I must say that your collective ignorance is quite beyond belief."

"Now, now, Suzuran—you can't expect much of them. After all, they are men," Benibara stated.

"What? You can't make that argument!" Hikaru snapped.

"I'm sure there are women that don't know about your stupid troupe," Kaoru added.

Benibara smirked and turned to Haruhi. "Fair maiden, settle this argument for us. Surely you've heard of us!"

Haruhi shook her head. "No, sorry."

Benibara's mouth dropped open. "You've heard of our troupe's name at least once, I'm certain!"

"I really haven't."

At this, Benibara recoiled back to Suzuran and Hinagiku. "This is an absolute travesty! It just shows what kind of oppression this maiden has faced! She's obviously been crushed under a completely patriarchal society!"

"Um, I think you're taking this a bit overboard," Haruhi started.

Benibara stood tall, jabbing a finger at the troupe. "Fair maiden, I make this promise to you now—we will free you from your enslavement to this troupe of fools. I will remove the blindfold from your eyes and show you what being a maiden truly means! You won't have to hide any longer!"

"But—"

"Suzuran, Hinagiku, come with me! We have plans to make!" Benibara declared.

The trio marched away. The troupe watched them go in silence. Once they were out of sight, Honey sighed and said, "This could be a problem."

#

Late that afternoon at the castle, the members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ reported to the throne room to set up for their performance. Yet they found the room blocked.

"His Majesty has stated that your performance has been moved to tomorrow evening," the footman at the door said.

The troupe glanced at each other in surprise.

"That's strange. Have we done something to offend His Majesty?" Tamaki asked.

"His Majesty assures me that you have committed no offense. You will understand this evening."

And the troupe did discover the reason for the change that night when they arrived in the throne room. Misuzu eagerly waved them over to sit with the other courtiers. The performers took their seats. Immediately, the surrounding courtiers began asking questions. Was the troupe not performing tonight? What was the cause of the change? And if the troupe was not performing, then who was? Unfortunately, the actors could not answer such questions.

The confusion was not limited to the courtiers. From her place beside the throne, Haruhi shot them a puzzled glance, nodding towards the makeshift stage. They shrugged helplessly in response.

Yet, when Ranka strode out to the throne, the courtiers bowed and curtseyed as one and put away their questions. Surely they would get their answers soon.

Once Ranka settled onto the throne, a lean figure in tights and knee-breeches threw open the curtains.

The members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ choked as they realized the figure was Benibara.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Your Highness and Your Majesty. Tonight, our simple troupe wishes to present a tale of passion and woe! As we believe our art can speak for itself, we now present _The Princess's Riddles_!"

With that, he curtains parted to reveal a castle courtyard, which Benibara stepped back into.

The following story told a tale of a cold princess, played by Suzuran, who refused to marry unless her suitor could answer three riddles. Failure to answer these riddles correctly resulted in a swift execution. Benibara took on the role of a disgraced prince who was disguised to hide his true identity. Hinagiku played a slave who had been freed by the prince, but served him out of love.

Inevitably, the prince fell in love with the icy princess and took the challenge of riddles. His servant, in fear for his life, managed to obtain the answers to the riddles. Yet, the princess, being capricious, changed the final riddle at the last moment. The prince was unable to answer and was sentenced to death.

However, while visiting the prince as he awaited his execution, the princess fell in love. She requested that his execution be faked. But this edict came too late and the prince died in the arms of the weeping princess.

At the end of the performance, the court clapped hesitantly.

"That was terribly dark," one courtier murmured.

"It's a piece of melodrama," another proclaimed.

"We prefer your performances much more," the courtiers surrounding _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ echoed softly.

But the Lobelia Troupe took any applause to be enthusiastic and bowed repeatedly. They then knelt before the throne.

The courtiers knew that this troupe would be sent away. How could the Queen have enjoyed such a dark and miserable performance? So, the Queen's next words surprised them all.

"You have proven yourselves to be worthy performers. You may stay on in the court."

The members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ stared at each other, then at Haruhi with wide eyes.

Honey had been right. This would be _quite_ a problem.

* * *

 **A.A. Enchanted Crystal Blade** , I can finally respond to your comment here: are you psychic?! You knew exactly where I was going with this!

The excerpt for the next chapter is...

 _ **"Why on earth did you allow them to stay? They're so morbid!" Misuzu cried.**_

 _ **"I had my reasons," Ranka replied.**_

 _ **"Well then, please enlighten me! Because I fail to understand your reasoning completely!"**_

 _ **Ranka sighed and glanced toward the portrait. "It's because of Kotoko."**_

So, how does the late queen figure into Ranka's decision? Check back Monday to find out!


	36. Chapter 36: Schemes and Plots

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **A.A. Enchanted Crystal Blade:** I have to admit, I'm a bit pleased that the chapter excerpt stumped you. I can't have things being too obvious! Especially since you guessed my next move so well. And thank you-this week has been better and I'm definitely eager to get back to work on this fanfiction as usual.

 **tmwillson3** : I'm glad you thought their melodrama was appropriate! Those are fantastic suggestions regarding Kyoya and Haruhi-I'll keep them in mind!

 **lillyannp:** Oh, I don't know if I can answer that just yet...Read on and see!

 **ShiningStar** : Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story. I'm doing much better this week, which should make writing much easier. As I've mentioned to another reviewer, I think the Zuka club is kind of a necessary evil. They're absolutely obnoxious, but they throw the main characters for _quite_ a loop. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story and thank you for the review-I love hearing from new readers!

My reader question for this week is actually a bit of fun trivia/a guessing game! If anyone is inclined towards opera or theatre, you might have noticed some familiar elements in the Zuka club's performance. I drew inspiration from two sources and I'm curious... **what plays/operas do you guys think I pulled from?** Just have fun with this one! If anyone gets the right answer before the next update, I will let you know and change the question on Thursday. Otherwise, the answer will be posted next Monday with the question change!

Now, the Reader Wishlist subject stays the same for this post. **A** **re there any scenarios/headcanons that you have for Kyoya and Haruhi?** Just remember, PG-13 or less please!

The next update will be on Thursday as usual!

So, onto the next chapter, in which there is much plotting and scheming!

* * *

The morning after the Lobelia Troupe's melodramatic performance, the members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ gathered together in the library to discuss their options.

"I can't believe the queen let them stay!" Hikaru fumed.

"They're not even good performers," Kaoru growled.

"Well, we do have one consolation…Misuzu stuck them in those drafty rooms near the north wing," Hikaru continued with a wicked smile.

"I don't think Misuzu likes them very much either," Honey said.

"Which may prove useful to us. We will likely need allies in dealing with them." Kyoya pushed his glasses up with one finger. "After all, if they were able to see through 'Haruki's' disguise, who knows what they might do if they got close enough to the princess."

The other troupe members gasped. Tamaki stared at the illusionist. "Kyoya, surely you don't think they'll attempt to cause trouble like that!"

"I don't know. I haven't had enough time to analyze the players. But I dislike leaving things to chance," Kyoya said.

"Then that solves it! We have to find a way to protect Haruhi from the Lobelia Troupe," Tamaki said. A grin sprang to his lips. "And I know just who to talk to."

"Who, Tama?" Honey asked.

To Tamaki, such a matter required the attention of the princess's lady-in-waiting.

They met Mei for tea that afternoon. The lady-in-waiting listened with a frown as the troupe related how the Lobelia performers had instantly known "Haruki's" true gender despite "his" clothes. Her lips pursed as they explained their concern for the princess. Once they finished, she nodded.

"I see why all of you are concerned. And I'm glad you came to me. I think I can help," she said.

"Really? How?" Tamaki asked.

"It should be easy enough. I have more than enough excuses up my sleeve. And even though Haruhi has been visiting with the courtiers more as of late, she's still not the most social person. Remember, you didn't get to meet her for months," Mei said.

The troupe breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh good…"

"But that doesn't mean that we can be complacent! We can only keep them at bay for so long. Which means that we need to find a way to make the Lobelia Troupe shorten their stay significantly," Mei declared.

The troupe caught on to Mei's train of thought immediately. They exchanged conspiratorial grins and settled in to plot.

#

The members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ were not the only individuals in the castle unsettled by the queen's approval of the Lobelia Troupe. Misuzu had debated with himself the entire day. But the advisor finally decided that he couldn't simply stand by. He went to the queen's chambers and knocked.

"Come in," Ranka called.

Misuzu entered the chambers and found Ranka kneeling before the shrine dedicated to Kotoko. After a quiet moment, the queen rose and turned to his advisor.

"Ah, Misuzu! Is there some news from the rest of the castle?" Ranka asked.

"Well, no. I've actually come to visit you."

"Hmm?"

"Rather—I've come to speak to you about the Lobelia Troupe."

"Are they settled in well?" Ranka inquired.

"Yes."

"Excellent." Ranka settled on a bench and looked to Misuzu curiously.

The advisor couldn't hold it in any longer. "Why on earth did you allow them to stay? They're so morbid!" he cried.

The queen blinked in surprise, but shrugged. "I had my reasons," Ranka replied.

"Well then, please enlighten me! Because I fail to understand your reasoning completely!"

Ranka sighed and glanced toward the portrait in the shrine. "If you must know, it's because of Kotoko."

This time, it was Misuzu's turn to be surprised. "What? What do you mean?"

"Kotoko always loved the Lobelia Troupe…Every time they visited Shikanai, she watched them perform. She was friends with all of the actresses." Ranka's eyes unfocused as he stared into space. "It's been so long since they've visited. I felt I should offer them hospitality in honor of her. I thought that maybe Haruhi would be able to share the joy her mother had…She has so few close friends."

Misuzu let out a long breath. "But Ranka, Kotoko's friends were a much different group of performers. They were carefree and sweet. These performers seem so…belligerent. I haven't had a single pleasant interaction with them since they arrived. I can't see Haruhi enjoying the company of such people. Besides, Haruhi seems more than close enough with our current performing troupe."

"Hah! You're talking about those _actors_?"

At that, Misuzu snapped his fingers with a grin. "A-ha! So that _is_ it! You're still worried about Tamaki, aren't you? You thought this would drive a wedge between them!"

"What? No, of course not!" But there was a slightly guilty glint in the monarch's eyes.

Misuzu folded his arms and tapped a foot.

Ranka bowed his head. "Well, perhaps it was a secondary motive."

Misuzu snorted as Ranka glanced at him apologetically. After a few moments under his advisor's unimpressed stare, Ranka confessed, "All right! All right! I see I was wrong! But what can I do now? I can't simply ask them to leave."

Misuzu chuckled and rubbed his hands together. "Oh, please. Leave _that_ to me."

* * *

Well, **lillyannp** , I believe you have your answer!

The next chapter excerpt is...

 ** _"You have some part in this, I know!" Benibara exclaimed, jabbing a finger at Tamaki._**

 ** _"I'm not sure what misapprehension you're under, but I assure you, I had no part in it," Tamaki replied._**

 ** _Benibara's eyes narrowed. She took another step towards Tamaki._**

 ** _Sensing a threat, Honey started forward. But Mori restrained him._**

 ** _"If you think the princess's favor will save you, you will be sorely disappointed," Benibara hissed._**

Oh dear. What sparked this argument? And who will win out in the end? Check back Thursday to find out!


	37. Chapter 37: A Royal Decision

Hi everyone!

I hope you're all doing well! First, review responses!

 **tmwillson3:** Well, Misuzu's work won't be _quite_ a slight! You'll see! I'm afraid I can't answer your other predictions just yet! As for the play question, you're absolutely right that those sources have similar elements. But, they're not exactly the ones I pulled from. It might help to mention that I pulled from two operas with music written by the same Italian composer!

 **IzzytheYoukai:** Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it so much! It's always wonderful to hear from happy new readers!

 **DiamondSparkle42:** You'll definitely find out in this chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

 **lillyannp:** Of course! After all, Benibara _is_ a poisonous flower! The mechanical pencil aspect probably won't factor in as heavily as it did in the anime. But, I promise there are twists to come!

I actually have two reader questions this week! The first is still the trivia game from the last update. **W** **hat plays/operas do you guys think I used as inspiration for the Lobelia Troupe's performance?** The other question is actually a reader opinion in regards to a very exciting event! I just realized that this fanfic is on the verge of receiving one hundred reviews! I'd like to celebrate this landmark with all of you, but I'm not sure what to do. So, I'd like your opinions! **What would you like to do to celebrate this landmark?** I'm doing this for you guys, so please send in your suggestions!

Because it's Thursday, the Reader Wishlist is changing! Similar to last week, it's another headcanon/scenario question. I'd like to work in more moments between Haruhi and the twins. I do have some references to pull from in the original material, but I also want my reader opinions! **So, what scenarios and head canons would you like to see regarding Haruhi and the twins?**

The next update will be on Monday as usual! I apologize for the lateness of this update. I have been working in a start-up that just got the doors open this week, so I've been adjusting to a new schedule. But, this weekend should give me a chance to get ahead of schedule. Regardless, the posts will continue as scheduled unless I indicate a change.

So, onto the next chapter-in which plots are put into motion!

* * *

"What do you mean we can't see the princess?" Benibara stamped a foot furiously, her arms crossing as she glared at Mei. The lady-in-waiting shrugged and carefully blocked the door to the princess's chambers.

"I'm sorry, the princess has been asked not to be disturbed this morning."

"What is it this time?" Benibara growled. "First, you told us she was studying in the library. Then, you told us she was working in the kitchens. Then you said she was busy with dress fittings! On top of that, the king has supposedly taken 'ill' with a case of 'nerves' which has prevented us from performing for her! I don't believe any of it! You've given us the run-around for three days! I demand to see the princess now!"

"I doubt that you have a right to make such demands," Mei cut in. "And may I remind you that our other performing troupe, _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ , was not able to visit with the princess for almost two months. Not once did they exhibit such ill-tempered rudeness or tiresome insolence."

A sound like a snort of laughter resounded from the chambers behind Mei.

"There's someone in there!" Hinagiku cried.

"I assure you it's only the wind," Mei replied.

Benibara's mouth quirked into a snarl for the briefest of moments. Then, the actress took a deep breath and composed a smile. "Well, if the princess is so busy today, we can only hope that she will be able to squeeze a visit into her schedule. I'm sure she won't mind if we simply sit outside and wait for her."

"I'm sure you'll be waiting for quite some time," Mei stated.

"Oh, that's fine. We can be quite patient," Suzuran chimed. The three performers made a show of sitting down across the hall from the door.

Mei sniffed in disapproval, tossed her head and turned back to the doors. "We'll see how patient you are," she muttered under her breath as she entered the princess's chambers.

She went to the sitting room. Haruhi and the members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ looked up at her.

"They're standing guard outside?" Hikaru and Kaoru asked dryly. They had been standing behind the door for the entire conversation and had nearly given themselves away laughing.

"Afraid so," Mei said.

"Great," Haruhi muttered. "I'm never going to be able to leave. I haven't been able to perform in the city for three days now because they might bother 'Haruki' and now this?"

"Well, at least we gave them the slip with 'Haruki' by telling them she only performs with us on a limited basis in the city but not in the court," Kaoru said.

"But still, what are we going to do?" Honey asked.

"We're going to sneak Haruhi out of the castle," Kyoya said.

The other members turned and stared at him.

"Uh, Kyoya, that's going to be a little hard if they're right outside," Hikaru said.

"Not with this." Kyoya pulled a simple grey cloak from his nearby bag. "Here Haruhi—put that on."

The princess put on the cloak and shrugged at Kyoya.

"Raise and lower the hood," the illusionist suggested.

She did as she was asked.

Kyoya nodded. "Excellent."

The rest of the troupe looked between Haruhi and Kyoya.

"Um, Kyoya…should something have changed?" Tamaki asked hesitantly, giving his closest advisor a sidelong glance.

"Not for anyone in the room."

Just after Kyoya said this, Renge emerged from Mei's sewing room. She sighted Haruhi and let out a shriek, dropping her half-finished costume to the floor.

"Oh my goodness, is that what I really look like?" she exclaimed, one hand flying to her heart.

The others blinked. "What?"

Kyoya smirked. "Renge has graciously volunteered to lend her appearance to a disguise spell for Haruhi. Because all of you were in the room when Haruhi put on the cloak, you couldn't tell a difference in her appearance. But to anyone else, she will look like Renge. We should be to get her out of the castle quite easily."

"But the Gagroot Troupe is still outside the door!" Hikaru complained. "We can't just walk out of the princess's chambers!"

"We won't be going out the door," Kyoya said, nodding towards the window. Something thudded outside.

Honey ran over to the window and looked out. "Oh! It's Cassanova! He's brought a ladder!"

Tamaki beamed at Kyoya. "You're brilliant!"

"As I've said before, I dislike leaving things to chance."

"Well let's go!" Tamaki exclaimed. "We have a performance to put on!"

With that, Honey flung open the window. The members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ and the disguised princess traipsed down the ladder and into the garden below.

Kasanoda stood at the base of the ladder, staring at all of them in puzzlement. "Um, why didn't all of you just walk through the castle?"

"We were attempting to avoid a rather unpleasant confrontation with the ladies of the Lobelia Troupe," Tamaki explained breezily.

"Oh. I guess that makes sense. And is your…manager also performing?" Kasanoda asked, looking to Haruhi.

When she didn't respond, Kaoru subtly ribbed her. She blinked. "Oh! Um, no…I…uh…I need to pick up…fabric! For more costumes!"

"Ah. I see. Well, good luck," Kasanoda said.

"Thanks Bossanova!" Honey chirped.

Kasanoda started to correct him, but the troupe had already bounded off for the city.

#

That evening, the queen finally recovered from his spell of nerves. The court was called to the throne room. The courtiers assembled, expecting another performance from the Lobelia Troupe, but secretly hoping for a performance by _Le Triomphe de la Comedie._ However, no stage had been assembled in the center of the throne room. The assembled group glanced at each other in confusion as the queen took his seat on the throne.

Misuzu detached himself from the rest of the court and strode to the center of the room.

"I understand that all of you expected a performance tonight. But, as you can probably tell, the performance has been cancelled. It has come to His Majesty's attention that having two acting troupes in the same castle has caused a bit of…unease. Lobelia Troupe, _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ , would you please step forward?"

The two performing troupes came to stand before Misuzu. The advisor continued.

"His Majesty has declared that this situation cannot remain. The only conclusion that we have come to is that we must ask one of you to leave."

The entire room gasped. Haruhi nearly jumped from her seat to protest. But, Ranka turned to her and offered a conspiratorial smile. The princess settled back in her seat with a bemused look.

Misuzu waited for the chatter to calm. "However, you are both equals in performing ability and we cannot find any other fault that may decide between you. So, we have determined that the only fair way to resolve this situation is through…a competition."

Another flurry of excited murmurs arose as the Lobelia Troupe smirked and the members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ gulped. Again, Misuzu allowed the noise to dissipate before going on.

"The winner of this competition will be determined by one rule." Misuzu paused briefly with the slightest of smiles. "In order to win, you must be able to bring a smile to the face of our judge and tears to their eyes. And this competition will be judged…by Princess Haruhi."

The room burst into an uproar as the smirks melted from the faces of the Lobelia Troupe performers. The members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ tried to restrain their smiles. Even Haruhi and Mei exchanged a hopeful look.

After the uproar, Misuzu looked seriously at both troupes. "You have three days to prepare and will perform on the third night. Use your time wisely…and good luck."

Court dismissed shortly after this announcement. The courtiers crowded around _Le Triomphe de la Comedie,_ offering ideas and words of encouragement. But this cheerful gathering didn't last. The Lobelia Troupe pushed through the crowd and marched up to the other troupe.

"How dare you attempt to get rid of us by such underhanded machinations!" Hinagiku shrieked.

"What?" Hikaru and Kaoru chorused.

"It's obvious that you're so threatened by us that you demanded to have us thrown out!" Suzuran announced.

"Um, we wouldn't do something like that," Honey replied.

But the leader of the Lobelia Troupe was far more infuriated than her companions. "You have some part in this, I know!" Benibara exclaimed, jabbing a finger at Tamaki.

"I'm not sure what misapprehension you're under, but I assure you, I had no part in it," Tamaki replied.

Benibara's eyes narrowed. She took another step towards Tamaki.

Sensing a threat, Honey started forward. But Mori restrained him.

"If you think the princess's favor will save you, you will be sorely disappointed," Benibara hissed.

The surrounding courtiers looked to Tamaki expectantly. The king of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ shrugged with a smile. "I'm afraid you're wrong. We're not relying on the princess's favor. We're relying on our own abilities. It is, after all, a competition. One that I believe the best troupe will win."

Benibara's right eye twitched. "Then I hope you have your bags packed."

"Your plays should have taught you that hubris is a fatal flaw," Tamaki retorted.

Benibara took a step back and all three girls glared at their opposition.

As one, _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ declared, "May the best troupe win!"

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Honey seized Mori's arm as realization struck. He offered a wide grin.**_

 _ **"That's it! I have it! I know what Misuzu wants us to do!"**_

Ah, what's this revelation? Check back Monday to find out!


	38. Chapter 38: For the Princess

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! As usual, review responses are up first!

 **tmwillson3:** Thank you! You gave me an idea for what to do for the 100 review celebration! Read on. And excellent suggestions with Haruhi and the twins. I had a similar theme in mind, but it's good to know that's what my readers want.

 **Sheepgirl418** : So glad you enjoyed the chapter! I'll keep the idea about the twins in mind!

 **DiamondSparkle42:** Aww, thank you so much! I'm so glad you like it so much!

 **EllatheYoukai:** I'm so happy it was so vivid! I always try to picture these chapters as if they were part of the anime (it's easier for me to visualize animation rather than individual frames like a manga), so if those images reach my readers, that's great!

 **Jenny** : Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter! It's always awesome to hear from new readers-thank you for the review!

 **Mjsis1313:** I'm so glad you're enjoying it! As I've said before, I love hearing from happy new readers! Thank you for reviewing!

 **A.A. Enchanted Crystal Blade:** That's so sweet! Thank you so much! I hope you like this chapter just as much! Like I mentioned to tmwillson3, I agree with you on Haruhi's main role with the twins. I just wanted to make sure that my readers felt the same!

So, I have a trivia question to answer, a review celebration to explain and a new question! I'll start with the trivia question in case any of you have been wondering where the Lobelia Troupe's first performance came from. The performance was mostly influenced by Puccini's _Turandot_ and included a few elements from another one of his operas, _Tosca_ (the failed faked execution was the main part drawn from this opera.)

Now, for the review celebration. Thanks to everyone who entered their suggestions! I wanted to go ahead and get your opinions on this before I went ahead with it. I know a lot of authors do one-shots. However, as a reader, I always get a bit frustrated with one-shots because they always leave me wanting more. I definitely don't want to do that. So, I started thinking about how the manga handled special chapters/extras (I believe they're called _omake,_ but please don't quote me on that! I'm not far enough in my language studies to know for sure!) There were several ideas that I could play off of from the original extras, but not many would be workable without interrupting the main plot/plot of the serial arcs. It annoyed me when those special chapters broke up the main action of the manga at an important point. So, taking that into consideration, I want to offer you guys this for the review celebration:

I would like to do an arc about Kotoko and Ryoji's relationship. I felt like they didn't get enough attention in the anime or manga and really want to expand on their story in this AU. This would definitely be a very sweet and comedic arc, likely told in some form of flashback and probably pulling a little bit from material in manga. It will probably be about five chapters, maybe more if everyone is happy with it. And I think I can do this in a way that won't break up the main action. About every five or ten chapters (depending on what you guys want), I can post a chapter about Kotoko and Ryoji that will have some kind of introduction that includes the main characters and maybe some of the main plot action. I say _about_ every five or ten chapters because it will depend on where each serial arc begins and ends. I don't want to leave you guys on a cliffhanger in the main action just for consistency. Right now, I know that I could definitely work in the first chapter of the Kotoko/Ryoji arc at chapter forty without breaking up a main arc. But if I get to chapter forty five or chapter fifty (again, this is dependent on how often you guys want the arc included) and haven't ended an arc of main action, I'm happy to wait until chapter forty six or forty seven or chapter fifty-one or fifty-two before I go to the next chapter of Kotoko and Ryoji's arc.

So, if you guys are happy with this, let me know and let me know if you would like the arc posted every five or every ten chapters! If you're absolutely vehemently opposed and want something else, let me know! All I ask is that would my nay-sayers please provide alternate ideas that I can suggest in the next update!

Now, with past business out of the way, I'd like to go to the new reader question! I have two potential arcs that could be used next. Both arcs will eventually be used, but at the moment, I'm simply having a hard time picking which one to go with first. One arc revolves primarily around Kasanoda and draws _heavily_ from the anime and manga. The other arc involves Haruhi and her relationship with the twins as well as her relationship with Tamaki. So, my reader question for this week is... **which arc would you like to see next? Kasanoda's arc or the arc involving Haruhi, the twins and Tamaki?** Send in your thoughts!

The reader wishlist for this week is again... **what scenarios and head canons would you like to see regarding Haruhi and the twins?** Just remember to keep it PG-13 or less!

The next update should be on Thursday as usual!

Before we go on, I just want to say that this is hands-down the longest chapter of the fanfic. I didn't think it was fair to break it up and make you guys wait until Thursday for the conclusion of the action, so I decided to post it all as one chapter. It was probably one of the most fun chapters to write and I really hope everyone enjoys it!

So, onto the next chapter-in which a competition between troupes occurs!

* * *

The morning after the announcement of the competition, it began raining in Shikanai. The rain cast a gray dimness over the entire castle. And within this calm gloom, the members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ gathered in the library to discuss their plans. Mei had offered to stand guard outside the library doors lest the Lobelia Troupe attempted to gain an unfair advantage.

"What are we going to do? Was Misuzu crazy when he made this announcement?" Hikaru asked as he paced between two of the bookcases.

"Yeah! Make the princess smile _and_ cry? I know we could manage to make her smile. But she's so reserved, we'll never be able to make her cry!" Kaoru complained.

"Oh, of course you could! You just have to find something that touches her heart," Renge chirped. The troupe's manager and costume designer was busy adding some finishing touches to a brilliantly colored skirt by the light of one of Kyoya's enchanted lanterns.

"'Touches her heart?' I'm not sure what might do that…Do you have any ideas, Tama?" Honey asked. "Tama?"

The king of the troupe sighed and stared out the window and into the dreary courtyard below them. He had been awake the entire night before trying to answer the riddle posed by Misuzu's challenge. Of course, he knew of themes they could perform that might bring tears to the princess's eyes. Perhaps a play about a character losing their mother. Or a monarch being stripped of their kingdom and title by uncontrollable circumstances. But such matters seemed so personal. It hardly seemed fair to put them on display in front of the entire court. If they were going to win this challenge, it would be in a way that respected Haruhi's dignity and didn't dig into such painful topics.

He turned back to his troupe. "I'm afraid I don't have any ideas yet. Kyoya, do you have anything?"

The illusionist frowned at the black notebook in front of him. "Not as of yet. However, in such circumstances, I find that it's useful to revisit the original instructions in their exact form. I wrote down Misuzu's challenge word-for-word after court disbanded last night."

"Then let's hear them again," Tamaki said with a wave of his hand.

"'In order to win, you must be able to bring a smile to the face of our judge and tears to their eyes,'" Kyoya recited.

"So…that doesn't give us much to go on. But let's focus on one task at a time. What could we do that would make the princess smile?" Tamaki asked.

The others began to think. Brows furrowed and quiet 'hmms' passed through the air.

Hikaru suddenly elbowed his brother. "Hey, Kaoru—what if we worked on that idea you had after we crossed the Lucentia? The one where everyone thinks _Arlecchino_ has been turned into a toad? I read some of your notes on it last night and I laughed so hard I almost cried."

This statement rang out clearly for one of the troupe members. Honey gasped and seized Mori's arm as realization struck. As the others turned to him expectantly, Honey offered a wide grin. "That's it! I have it! I know what Misuzu wants us to do!"

With surprising speed, Tamaki caught on to this train of thought. He bounded over to Hikaru and grabbed the twin by the shoulders. "Hikaru, you're a genius!"

Hikaru blinked and stared. "Uh, I am? How?"

"Think about what you just said!"

Hikaru mouthed the words, then shook his head. "I don't get it."

"'Laughed so hard I almost cried?'" Tamaki prompted.

Hikaru's mouth dropped open. "Oh! _That's it!"_

"That's exactly what Misuzu wanted!" Kaoru cried. "I knew there had to be a trick to it."

"Wait, I didn't hear what you said!" Renge exclaimed as she edged about the excited group.

Tamaki leaned down to her and explained in a whisper, "Misuzu wants us to make Haruhi laugh so hard that she cries. That counts as a smile and tears."

"Oh! That makes sense! But how are we going to do that?" Renge asked.

Tamaki began to reply, then paused, the initial exuberance melting from his face. "That….is an excellent question."

This led to another brainstorming session. However, like most group work, it quickly devolved into individuals offering random comments or grumbling. Tamaki sat in a chair, staring at Renge's project as the conversation washed over him.

"We've got to do something hilarious. I'd love to get back at that stupid Pukeweed Troupe," Hikaru muttered. "Did you see what they had prepared for their second performance? They were all going to dress up as men! All of them! I understand one member having to dress as the opposite gender, but everyone? It's ridiculous. It turns everything into a mockery."

"Yeah, and did you hear them practicing for it? Benibara was singing! It sounded like a dying cat," Kaoru added. "Thank goodness the queen had a case of nerves."

"Sounds like we got lucky," Honey chimed in.

This discussion slowly sank into Tamaki's brain as he watched Renge work on the multicolored skirt.

" _I'd love to get back at that stupid Pukeweed Troupe…They were going to dress up as men!"_

 _"_ _Benibara was singing!"_

 _"_ _We've got to do something hilarious."_

 _"—_ _Dress up as men! It's ridiculous!"_

Tamaki snapped up from his reclining position, banging one fist on the table and scattering Renge's materials across the floor. The rest of the troupe flinched in surprise.

"I know what we'll do!" the troupe leader cried.

"What, milord?" Kaoru asked.

But Tamaki was already on his feet. "Renge! How fast can you make our costumes? Could you manage four or five in a day?"

Renge nodded, her eyes wide. "Yes—I think I could."

"Excellent! Honey, Mori—I need you to find Misuzu immediately and ask if we are allowed to draw help from people outside the troupe. On top of that, ask if we can use some of the courtiers as background actors," Tamaki directed.

"Yessir!" Honey exclaimed. Mori replied with a monosyllabic mumble of assent.

"Kyoya, we're going to need music for this play! Can you manage it?" Tamaki asked.

"Of course," Kyoya replied.

"Perfect! And Hikaru, Kaoru, I want you two to make sure that the Lobelia Troupe isn't snooping around to get ideas. If we're allowed to use outside help, Mei may be a bit tied up from here on."

"But milord, what are we doing?" Hikaru asked.

Tamaki offered a devilish grin to the entire troupe. "We're winning this competition!"

#

Over the next three days, the two troupes worked at a furious pace. Misuzu approved all of the requests from _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_. Upon hearing what the troupe's play involved, he even offered to help himself. Of course, in fairness to the Lobelia Troupe, he also volunteered his abilities to the three girls. After all, since he wasn't the judge of the competition, he could help either group. And as there was only one rule, there could be very few violations. However, Misuzu found his offer soundly rejected by the Lobelia Troupe. Their pride had led them to refrain from asking for any help or approvals. _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ declared it the other troupe's loss and accepted Misuzu's help gratefully.

The night of the performance, the entire court packed into the throne room. Two elaborate stages had been erected in the center of the room, one standing in front of the other.

Kasanoda took in this scene as his stomach flipped. The members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ had asked him to act in a silent bit part with a few other courtiers and servants. Why had he agreed to this again?

"Are you alright?" Mei came to his elbow and looked up to him.

"Oh, uh, yeah," Kasanoda stammered.

"You're sweating a bit," Mei noted.

Kasanoda sighed. "Fine, I'll admit it. I'm terrified to go up there."

"Aw, don't be nervous. It's just a silent part and you don't have to do anything but stand there. Besides…" She took his arm and offered a smile. "I'll be up there with you too."

Kasanoda returned her smile and they took their seats among the rest of the court.

The Lobelia Troupe was slated for the first performance. They strode to the center of the room and bowed as the queen took his throne. However, the princess's chair held the place of honor on the center of the dais. A few moments after the queen took her throne, Haruhi stepped out into the room and sat down with a sigh.

The three girls rose and Suzuran and Hinagiku strode back to their stage. Benibara stood before the court, allowing a moment of silence before she spoke.

"I believe our work needs no introduction. So, we now present… _The Fool and the Princess."_

At this title, the members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ , who had been allowed to watch their opposition's performance, tensed slightly. But, Tamaki subtly waved off the concern. Surely such things were coincidence.

The play opened with Benibara dressed as a male jester. "He" cavorted around Hinagiku, who had taken on the role of a carefree princess. Benibara danced about, performing balletic displays and general foolishness to make Hinagiku giggle.

After every comedic turn, Benibara stole a glance at Haruhi. But there was not so much as an upwards twitch at the corners of the princess's lips.

Near the end of the first scene, Hinagiku declared that the jester was her dearest friend. Benibara's response was enthusiastic in words, but not so in gesture. Shortly after this exchange, Suzuran, playing a princely suitor favored by Hinagiku, arrived to take the princess out riding. Benibara watched the lovers go with a sigh.

But where the audience expected an end to the scene, Benibara pulled a guitar from nearby and burst into a melancholy song proclaiming "his" secret love for the princess while strumming away. Taken aback by this sudden introduction of song, the court glanced at each other in confusion. The song warbled on about forbidden love and separate worlds. By the time the song ended, the audience had listened to twice as much of the music as they had wanted.

The next scene revolved about the princess's upcoming marriage. Benibara fretted about the princess's chambers, desperately attempting to see why Hinagiku wanted to marry this prince. So Hinagiku waxed poetic about the prince's wonderful charms. Benibara could only nod, the tendrils of the jester's hat drooping slightly.

Yet, the princess soon returned to speak of her favorite jester. She begged Benibara to allow her to confess a secret. Benibara agreed hesitantly. Hinagiku revealed that she had never been kissed—by the prince or otherwise. She expressed anxiety over the entire situation and a desire to impress her prince. And finally, Hinagiku shyly requested to kiss her "dear friend" in order to practice for her fiancé.

Benibara struggled with this revelation for a moment. Finally, the jester reasoned that a kiss would do no harm. The two slipped behind a screen and the "friends" shared a kiss. The princess emerged, grateful and happy, knowing that she would be able to impress her prince. She swore she would never forget this favor. But the jester could not hold back the tears any longer and ran from the princess's chambers.

The final scene took place on the roof of the castle. Benibara declared that "he" could not bear to see the princess married off. So the jester had retreated to the loneliest part of the castle. Upon realizing that this heartbreak had no solution, the jester again erupted into a swan song about the cruelty of fate and love. This mournful tune continued until it had been declared that the princess had left her castle permanantly for the kingdom of her husband. Unable to bear the news, Benibara cried out and jumped from the parapets in despair.

The curtains closed to highly hesitant applause from the audience. The Lobelia Troupe paraded around to the front of the stage and bowed to the princess. They glanced up, expecting to see tears in the princess's eyes.

Disappointment greeted them.

Haruhi had been unaffected by this melodrama. In fact, she seemed hesitant to even offer applause. But as the rest of the court, she offered her polite "approval." The Lobelia Troupe walked off to take their place in the crowd as the first stage was broken down to make way for the second stage.

The members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ disappeared behind the second stage. Honey soon trotted around to the front of the curtain.

"Like the Lobelia Troupe, we will allow our work to speak for us. We present… _The Debtors_."

The curtains pulled back to reveal a sitting room in a house. Hikaru and Kaoru stepped onto the stage. However, unlike previous performances, both twins were dressed as female _innamorati_. They proclaimed themselves as the twin sisters, _Isabella_ and _Vittoria_.

The peace of the twins' household was soon interrupted by the raucous arrival of _Arlecchino_ and _Pedrolino_ , who were revealed to be cousins of the twins. The two pleaded with their relatives to hide them. They declared that they owed money to the terrifying _Il Capitano_ and would meet a horrendous fate as they could not repay the debt. The sisters sighed, listening to their cousins' plight. After a few moments of counsel, the twins came up with a plan.

They would host a party and invite _Il Capitano_. They would then ply the good captain with wine until he passed out. Then, with the help of their closest friends, they would send _Il Capitano_ on his merry way in a farmer's cart that would be far from town before daybreak.

 _Arlecchino_ and _Pedrolino_ agreed heartily to this, but abruptly asked how they would escape the captain's wrath. They had nowhere else to hide and making an appearance at the party would be out of the question if _Il Capitano_ attended. They would need some sort of disguise if they were going to help with this scheme. To this, _Isabella_ and _Vittoria_ simply smiled.

The next scene opened to a parlor scene, complete with a harpsichord. The courtiers asked to perform stood in this parlor as party guests. The twins, acting as gracious hostesses, bustled onto the scene. They soon stated that the guests needed to meet their cousins. _Isabella_ called out for Arlecchinetta and Pedrolina.

 _Pedrolino_ sauntered into the parlor and the court choked back a laugh. The Lobelia Troupe blanched in fury.

The performer had donned a rose colored silk gown and his face had been carefully made up with powder and rouge. A curly blonde wig completed the ensemble. _Pedrolino_ glanced back behind him and waved as if trying to coax someone to come forward.

 _Arlecchino,_ garbed in a bright red dress, face powder, overdone rouge and a flowing blonde wig, trudged out onto the stage to the riotous laughter of the audience. Halfway through the parlor, he jerked and shifted in an attempt to compensate for the corset his disguise placed him in. He came to stand beside _Pedrolino_ to greet the other guests with a frown. Obviously, he had not had such a disguise in mind in the previous scene.

Between the talents of Mei and Misuzu, both Tamaki and Honey made quite convincing women. The courtiers snickered and giggled openly. The Lobelia Troupe simply glowered. However, both royals restrained themselves to amused snorts.

This was all the encouragement Tamaki and Honey needed. They exchanged a grin and readied themselves for the next part of the scene.

After the twins' "dearest lady cousins" had been introduced, _Il Capitano_ strode into the room. _Arlecchino_ shrieked and dodged behind the nearest guest…who happened to be Kasanoda. _Pedrolino_ went to _Arlecchino_ and reminded him that they were in disguise. Abashed, _Arlecchino_ pulled out a brilliant red fan and waved it rapidly.

 _Isabella_ and _Vittoria_ offered _Il Capitano_ a glass of wine before leading him to greet the other guests. The captain blustered through most of the introductions without much thought. But, when he reached _Arlecchino_ , he paused. _Arlecchino_ giggled nervously and the fan flitted about even faster.

Sensing some problem, the twins hurried through the introduction of their cousin Pedrolina and proclaimed that dinner would be followed by dancing. At this, the party-goers walked off the stage and the curtains closed.

During the brief intermission, a figure in a black dress stepped out from behind the stage. The recognition of this character led to another choked snort of laughter from the princess. Kyoya paused, surveyed the amused crowd, then shrugged. He placed a wooden box off to one side of the stage, turned the crank attached to the box a few times, then opened it. The sound of far-away music twinkled out into the room. This task finished, Kyoya returned to his place behind the stage.

The next scene opened onto a library in the house. _Arlecchino_ burst into the library, gasping and fanning himself after an apparently exhausting round of dancing. He sank down onto the nearby couch and struggled to remove his shoes. With this feat accomplished, he flopped back with a sigh.

But he was not left alone for long. _Il Capitano_ soon entered the library with yet another glass of wine. _Arlecchino_ stared at him with wide eyes, but the captain had not seen through the disguise. Instead, _Il Capitano_ dropped down on the couch beside _Arlecchino_. After an awkward conversation, the captain began edging closer to _Arlecchino_. It quickly became apparent that _Il Capitano_ had taken a romantic interest in Arlecchinetta. His advances were promptly refused and as soon as _Arlecchino_ managed to slip his feet back into his shoes, he ran out the door of the library.

After the library scene, the play returned to the parlor. The party appeared to be languishing, despite _Isabella_ and _Vittoria's_ best attempts. Thus, _Isabella_ suggested Arlecchinetta demonstrate her musical talent at the harpsichord. _Arlecchino_ protested repeatedly, but was eventually coaxed to the harpsichord bench. He sighed and asked for a song request. _Il Capitano_ slurred out a call for a love song, sloshing another glass of wine about. At this, _Arlecchino_ rolled his eyes. However, with no other requests, the unwilling performer was forced to accept. Much to the amusement of the audience, _Arlecchino_ began singing a saccharine tune in a fairly good falsetto. But several times throughout the tune, his voice cracked, sparking laughter from the audience. This didn't seem to bother any of the party-goers, especially _Il Capitano_ who still stared at Arlecchinetta with an admiring gaze.

During this tune, _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ received their first smile from the princess. Unable to restrain her amusement any longer, she shook her head with a grin. Now, if the last act went as planned, their victory should be assured.

The final scene took place in the library. _Pedrolino_ and _Arlecchino_ both sought sanctuary here. After complaining about _Il Capitano's_ seemingly inhuman tolerance for alcohol, they paced about the room, wondering what they could do. But in the midst of this discussion, a heavy knock came at the door. The captain announced his presence outside the library. Terrified by the surprise, _Pedrolino_ dove underneath the couch just as the door opened. _Arlecchino_ gulped and began to back away as _Il Capitano_ swaggered in. Not to be refused again, the captain chased _Arlecchino_ about the room. This chase finally ended in _Arlecchino's_ capture and an expertly faked stage kiss. _Arlecchino_ instantly pushed _Il Capitano_ away and ripped the blonde wig off with a shout of indignation. At this revelation, the captain's eyes went wide. Apparently overloaded, he crashed to the floor in a faint.

The audience roared with laughter as _Arlecchino_ stared down at the unconscious captain in surprise. _Pedrolino_ crawled out from under the sofa and joined his companion in the silent observation. Moments later, _Isabella_ and _Vittoria_ entered the library and stopped short. This staring contest continued until the curtains closed to the cheers of the audience.

Yet in spite of this commotion, only one opinion truly mattered. The members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ rushed in front of the stage to see if their ploy had worked.

And indeed, the princess was bent double in her chair. When she glanced up, she was wiping tears from her eyes. The troupe grinned triumphantly and struck flamboyant poses. This made her laugh until she nearly tipped out of her chair and onto the floor. And still the tears of laughter streamed from her eyes.

A formal declaration of victory was entirely unnecessary. The court swarmed _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ , cheering and praising their ingenuity. After all, who would have thought of the tears that came from laughter?

On the dais above the celebration, Ranka leaned forward until he caught sight of Misuzu. The advisor glanced up from the edge of the celebration and grinned. The queen returned this smile with a wink.

Everything had gone according to plan.

* * *

Now, the next chapter excerpt is...

 ** _"You're all insane! How did you ever think of something like this?" Haruhi asked._**

 ** _"It just took time and a great deal of work," Tamaki replied. "But a great deal of our success was due to Mei, Misuzu and Renge."_**

 ** _As if on cue, Renge emerged from the backstage. She had exchanged her usual dress for a pair of knee breeches, tights and an elaborate waistcoat. At Haruhi's surprised look, she grinned._**

 ** _"Just getting into the spirit of things!"_**

Will this celebration last? Or will the Lobelia Troupe find a way to ruin things, yet again? Check back Thursday to find out!


	39. Chapter 39: Celebration and Aftermath

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! As usual, review responses are first!

 **whathappensafter** : Fantastic! Thank you for your opinions!

 **tmwillson3** : I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter so much! And thank you for the opinions-every little bit helps!

 **Anon** : Actually, Alsance is a nod to Tamaki's French heritage. Since Haruhi and Tamaki attended Ouran together in the anime and manga, I felt like the names of their kingdoms needed to be original as their monarchies are separate for the sake of the plot. But I'm glad you enjoyed it! I hope you like this chapter just as much!

So, the final decision on the review celebration has been made! As my reviewers for the last post seem open to the idea and since I haven't received any vehement protests, I have decided to continue with the idea of Kotoko and Ryoji's arc. For now, it will be every five chapters. If that changes, I will let all of you know!

The reader question for the week is still the same! **W** **hich arc would you like to see next? Kasanoda's arc or the arc involving Haruhi, the twins and Tamaki?** I'm open to all suggestions so please send them in!

Since it's Thursday, the Reader Wishlist subject changes! So, I feel like Honey has gotten a bit neglected lately. I already have a chapter dedicated to his backstory in mind, but I want to include more of his relationship with Reiko. I'm definitely planning on weaving more of this into the action of the main plot, but since these two are already together, it would skip over the story of how they met. Thus, my reader wishlist subject is a question and a scenario request! **Would you like to have a flashback chapter dedicated to Reiko and Honey's first meeting/their early relationship and what scenarios do you have regarding these two?**

The next update will be on Monday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which someone has one last trick up their sleeve.

* * *

Eager to join the celebration, the princess hurried down from her seat on the dais to greet the winners of the competition. When she saw all of them crowded together in their dresses and surrounded by fawning courtiers, she laughed again. The troupe caught sight of her and asked the crowd to make way.

"You're all insane! How did you ever think of something like this?" Haruhi asked as she reached them.

"It just took time and a great deal of work," Tamaki replied. "But most of our success was due to Mei, Misuzu and Renge."

As if on cue, Renge emerged from the backstage. She had exchanged her usual dress for a pair of knee breeches, tights and an elaborate waistcoat. At Haruhi's surprised look, she grinned.

"Just getting into the spirit of things!"

Mei pushed through the crowd and grabbed a handful of the full red skirt of Tamaki's dress. "Renge, you did this in a day? How did you do it?"

"I didn't sleep much," Renge replied. "But they wouldn't have been nearly as convincing if it wasn't for your handiwork with the powder and rouge!"

"It was nothing, really!" But a pleased blush definitely rose behind Mei's rouge.

"Oh, Honey! Can I see your dress?" one of the court ladies cried.

"Tamaki, where did you get that wig?" another asked.

"Will all of you be cross-dressing in future performances?" The voices soon overwhelmed any other conversation.

Tamaki offered a grin and a shrug to Mei and Haruhi. "Highness, my lady, if you wouldn't mind waiting until we've spoken to the court—"

"Oh go on! We'll talk once things calm down!" Mei pushed Tamaki towards the other members of the troupe who were already conversing with courtiers.

The court swirled about the troupe in glee. In the midst of the clamor, Kyoya came to Tamaki's side.

"I don't see the Lobelia Troupe anywhere. I'm not sure that this bodes well," Kyoya said.

Tamaki nodded. "I'm sure they'll have one last trick up their sleeves. All we can do is wait."

Gradually, court disbanded and _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ was left in peace with Mei and Haruhi. The troupe set about breaking down the stage and their props. However, Kaoru, used to performing as the male _innamorata,_ soon found his dress cumbersome. He retreated behind a screen to change.

"Ugh, how am I supposed to get this thing off?" he complained. From his flailing shadow, it was obvious that he wasn't able to reach the clasps of the dress.

Hikaru laughed. "Relax, Kaoru. I'll help you out of it."

As the twins changed out of their costumes, Tamaki began to stoop to pick up a box. He also found his mobility severely limited. Mei let him flounder uselessly for a moment before offering, "Tamaki, if you want to change out of the dress, I can help undo the hooks."

He gave her a sheepish smile. "Thank you."

A few moments later, Honey sidled up to Haruhi.

"Haruhi, can you help with my costume?" he pleaded. "Mori can't work with all these tiny clasps!"

Haruhi shook her head with a laugh. "Of course."

After a bit of fiddling with hooks, clasps and ribbons and some careful work in removing makeup, the troupe had returned to their usual selves. But of all the performers, Kyoya seemed to manage his costume change without any help. The others began to question him, then shrugged, shaking their heads. It was best not to ask questions of the mage.

"Well, it looks like all of you will be in the castle for a good while now," Mei said. "No more Lobelia Troupe to worry about!"

"That's thanks to both of you," Tamaki said. He pulled a yellow rose from his sleeve and produced a white rose from midair. "Please, accept these as tokens of our gratitude!"

All too familiar with this routine, Haruhi and Mei accepted the roses with smiles and good-natured protests.

"Oh, I only did a bit of makeup," Mei said.

"It made everything come to life though!" Honey chirped.

"And I really didn't do any work," Haruhi objected.

"But you did!" Hikaru exclaimed. "You were able to recognize talent!"

"That takes plenty of work," Kaoru added.

Once the stage and props had been completely packed away, Haruhi said, "I suppose we should get to bed. After all, we should be back to performing in the city tomorrow, right?"

"Of course!" The rest of the troupe chorused.

The troupe and the princess and her lady-in-waiting parted ways at the central corridor leading to the Great Hall. _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ continued to the Great Hall, looking forward to a restful night.

"I can't wait to tell Reiko everything that happened!" Honey exclaimed.

"Yeah, have you two been writing letters?" Hikaru asked.

"Oh no—that would take too long! I haven't shown you the mirror Reiko gave me, have I?"

"Um, no, no you haven't," Kaoru replied.

"Remind me to once we're in the Hall!"

But a voice cut through the air before they reached Great Hall.

"Do you really think you'll get away with this?"

#

Kyoya turned with the rest of the troupe to face the Lobelia Troupe. The three girls prowled towards their opposition. Obviously, this was the last trick up their sleeves.

"What exactly do you think we're getting away with?" Hikaru demanded.

"Yeah, we won the competition and did it by the rules," Kaoru growled.

"Oh, I'm not referring to the competition," Benibara replied.

"Then please, enlighten us," Kyoya said. He was already calculating what spells he would be able to use if things turned unpleasant. The corridor had a high ceiling, but it was narrow. Offensive battle magic was difficult to control at the best of times. It would be too much of a risk to his friends to use it. Perhaps a nasty mental attack might send the Lobelia girls on their way.

"We're talking about the princess," Suzuran said.

"What about her?" Honey asked.

"Do you really think you can keep her identity hidden? 'Haruki' is hardly an impenetrable disguise," Hinagiku declared.

 _Le Triomphe de la Comédie_ sucked in a breath. How had they found that out?

"We're not idiots. It didn't take much to figure it out," Benibara said. She narrowed her gaze at Tamaki. "What did you do to put her in such a situation?"

"I didn't do anything. Her Highness does as she pleases. She associates with our troupe because she wishes to," Tamaki replied.

"Ha! I hardly believe that! You have to be blackmailing her. What does a half-rate performer like you have on her? Did you have your rats find something on her? Or did it merely fall into your lap by chance?" Benibara retorted.

"As I said, the princess is under no obligation to us," Tamaki repeated.

Benibara took a deep breath and began pacing back and forth. She paused briefly.

"If that's so, then I wonder how it would look if the court found out about the princess's adventures? Or perhaps if it made it around the city that Her Highness had lowered herself to performing?" She turned on _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ with a triumphant smirk.

Hikaru and Kaoru started forward, rage flashing in their eyes. Honey paled, his fist clenching. Even Mori's eyes betrayed a spark of anger.

At this threat, Kyoya prepared a spell that would obliterate memories and knock the Lobelia Troupe unconscious…if the girls were very lucky. But before he could unleash the magic, Tamaki held up a hand to restrain the troupe.

The leader of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ strode towards Benibara and stopped just short of her. Tamaki drew himself up to his full height, his head held high and shoulders back. He looked down upon Benibara—staring at the space between her eyes and the center of her forehead. Kyoya smiled a bit. After all, he had taught Tamaki that trick.

A true soul-reading bared the other person's third eye, invading their innermost space in order to cow them. Most soul-reading recipients had nightmares and paranoia for weeks after the event. Some never recovered. But such permanent impacts were usually only made by mages that had trained in soul reading for years. The majority of mages only managed short-term havoc. Even then, it was a useful trick. Kyoya had once sent a ill-mannered knight jibbering away from the court in Alsance.

However, non-mages could also execute a form of this trick if taught properly. The effect on the recipient ranged from a mild irritation to intense discomfort, depending on whether the reader had magic in their bloodline. Interestingly enough, the de Grataines had been rumored to have a rather powerful magician somewhere far back in their lineage. Which meant Tamaki's attempts at soul-reading could be _highly_ uncomfortable.

And indeed, Benibara shrunk back a bit.

The king—for he proved himself worthy of that title in this moment—spoke with a terrifyingly calm fury. "Attack me all you wish. Drag my name through the mud. I hardly care about the opinion of a harpy like you. But you will leave Princess Haruhi out of this. Or else."

Benibara flinched at the "or else."

Seemingly satisfied, Tamaki took a step back. He turned his back on the Lobelia Troupe and began to walk into the Great Hall.

Benibara seemed to shake herself from her daze to put forward one last threat. "You will regret crossing us! I swear we'll find out all of your secrets! We won't rest until we have!"

Hikaru and Kaoru snorted. "Yeah, good luck with that."

The twins began to follow Tamaki. Mori and Honey went with them.

"What? Don't turn your backs on us!" Hinagiku exclaimed.

"Face us, you cowards!" Suzuran shrieked.

Tired of the girls' complaints, Kyoya made a subtle motion with his right hand and murmured under his breath.

The girls snapped up straight.

"What? What's going on?" they cried. As one, the three girls spun about and began marching down the hall, protesting all the way. Kyoya watched his handiwork disappear down the hall with a smirk. With that spell on them, the Lobelia Troupe wouldn't bother them for _quite_ some time.

After all, mages always kept the best tricks up their sleeves. And those were _always_ the last tricks in any scenario.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 ** _A breath of cold wind lifted Haruhi's cap from her head. She gasped as the cap blew forward._**

 ** _"Oh no!" She chased after the hat along the castle wall. But before she could reach it, someone snatched it out of the air._**

 ** _Tamaki offered the hat to her with a smile. "Looking for this?"_**

So what does this cap have to do with anything? Could it have an important backstory attached to it? Check back Monday to find out!


	40. Chapter 40: The Queen's Cap

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well. Review responses are first as usual!

 **lillyannp:** Thank you! I'm glad you liked those parts! Also, good editing catch! I corrected it as soon as I got your review. Read on and see if your prediction is correct!

 **tmwillson3:** Haha, glad you enjoyed it! And I will definitely be including more of Reiko and Honey in the future. That will be discussed later in this note!

 **A.A. Enchanted Crystal Blade** : Thank you so much! As I mentioned to tmwillson3, Reiko and Honey will be discussed a bit later in this author's note! As for your prediction...read on!

 **EllatheYoukai** : I'm so happy to hear that you liked the magic details! I fought with myself a bit over Tamaki's ability to soul-read (I wasn't sure if something like that was too "convenient" for a non-magic user to be able to do), but I finally worked it out so that it was a bit more realistic. Hope you like this chapter just as much!

 **Zae Marks:** You read it all in one sitting? That's a huge compliment-thank you so much! I honestly did a bit of a dance when I read this review! Hearing that new readers are enjoying this fic is always fantastic! Thank you for opinions on the next arc and on Honey and Reiko (who will be discussed later in this note!) As far as the chapter length, I'm afraid the chapters decide their own lengths in a way. It's basically a balancing act between where I can give the readers a break without leaving too much of a cliffhanger and how much I think I can write in that week to meet the update schedule. But hopefully I will be able to get ahead of the update schedule again and in that case, I may be able to make the chapters a bit longer. In any case, thank you so much for the review-I hope you enjoy this chapter too!

 **Penstar1331** : Ah! I thought I recognized your name as one of my earlier followers! Welcome back! So glad you're enjoying the story and thank you so much for taking the time to review!

 **whatanauthorsgottado** : I'm so happy to hear that you love it so much! I'm always incredibly glad to hear from new readers and hope you continue to enjoy the fic! Thank you for your review!

Since my question for this update is actually linked to some commentary I have on this chapter, I'm moving it to the bottom of this author's note just for this post.

The Reader Wishlist subject is still the same for this update! **Would you like to have a flashback chapter dedicated to Reiko and Honey's first meeting/their early relationship and what scenarios do you have regarding these two?** I would like to note that if I do a flashback chapter or even a mini-arc of flashback chapters, I will likely do them in the same way I'm including the Kotoko/Ryoji arc. The spacing will likely be more sporadic (this arc is a little more amorphous and linked more closely to the main action so I can't definitively say "Oh I can do a Honey/Reiko chapter every five or ten chapters."), but they definitely won't delay the main action of the plot. So keeping that in mind, send in your thoughts!

The next update will be on Thursday as usual!

So, onto those comments I have for this chapter. Because this Kotoko and Ryoji arc is essentially digging into backstory that was not very detailed in the original anime and manga, I don't have a lot of canon material to go on. On top of that, some of the canon details I _do_ have are difficult to fit into this AU. This means a couple of things.

First of all, the Ryoji and Kotoko arc will have original characters playing minor/supporting roles. I know that some readers dislike OCs and I have tried to keep from using them as much as possible in the main action of the story. But here, I really have no choice. If I remember correctly, the original chapters in the manga that went into Kotoko and Ryoji's relationship had three characters: Kotoko, Ryoji and Yuko. In this AU, I've changed Yuko and Ryoji's relationship, so her inclusion in these chapters is obviously out. That means by canon standards, I have two characters I can use. With a bit of finagling due to the nature of this AU, I can reasonably work in Misuzu as a third character. But, there's no way I can work a _really_ good arc out of just three characters. So please bear with me. The OCs will not be the stars of the show.

Second, there's a bit of a snag with the canon age difference between Kotoko and Ryoji. The original manga states that Kotoko was older than Ryoji by six years and they met when Ryoji was 19 and Kotoko was 25. They later married and had Haruhi when Kotoko was 26 and Ryoji was 20. Herein lies the issue. In this fic, Ryoji has already mentioned that his courtship with Kotoko lasted for more than a year. Considering that he is a member of the royal family, a more cautious/longer courtship makes sense. And for the details I've included in this arc to work, that means that Kotoko and Ryoji need to meet at least two years (maybe even three years) before Haruhi is born. Which would place Kotoko at 23 or 24...and Ryoji at 17 or 18. Taking the characters' personalities into account, that's a significant difference. So, I will probably be placing the age difference at four years rather than six. Meaning this arc takes place when Kotoko is 23 and Ryoji is 19. I know this might seem like worrying over minor details, but I did say I wanted to stick to canon wherever possible and I don't want it to seem like I'm changing details without reason.

That all being said, my reader question is this: **how much "artistic license" will you guys accept in the arc about Kotoko and Ryoji?** Would you rather see more minor OC characters included to fill out this part of the timeline? Or do I need to keep those characters to an absolute minimum? Is bending canon a bit okay here or do I need to continue a fairly strict adherence? I want to know your thoughts, especially before the next Kotoko/Ryoji chapter, so please send them in!

So, onto the next chapter-in which the backstory behind a cap is revealed!

* * *

On a chilly morning after the competition, Haruhi awoke early. She donned her "commoner's" clothes and stole out of the slowly waking castle. It would have been much easier to use Kyoya's disguising cloak, but the illusionist had stated that the cloak needed to be reserved for emergencies only.

She had promised to meet the troupe outside the southern wall of the castle. Yet when she reached the wall, there was no one there. With a shivering breath, she tugged her coat close and stuffed her hands into her pockets. Certainly they would be here soon.

A breath of cold wind suddenly lifted Haruhi's cap from her head. She gasped as the cap blew forward.

"Oh no!" She chased after the hat along the castle wall. But before she could reach it, someone snatched it out of the air.

Tamaki offered the hat to her with a smile. "Looking for this?"

"Of course!" Haruhi hastily put the cap on, making sure it covered her hair.

"You know, Haruhi, you've never explained why you're so attached to that cap," Tamaki said.

"Huh?"

By now, the rest of the troupe had sauntered up to their leader and the princess.

"Yeah—is there a story behind it?" Kaoru asked, catching onto the conversation topic easily.

"Well, my mother made it," Haruhi said.

"There's not anything more to it than that? Come on! Even milord's awful scarf has a story behind it," Hikaru said, holding up an end of the clumsily knitted scarf around Tamaki's neck.

"It's not an awful scarf! I happen to like this scarf! Shima's granddaughter made it for me! It was one of the first things she knitted!" Tamaki exclaimed.

Hikaru grinned at Haruhi. "See what I mean?"

"Who is Shima?" Haruhi asked.

Tamaki chuckled. "She was…a tutor of mine."

Haruhi began to question him further, but Kaoru interrupted her.

"Hey, no changing the subject! What's the real story behind the cap?" he asked.

Haruhi sighed. "Well, my mother made it when she was a little older than me…"

#

Kotoko Hashira twisted her knitted cap between her hands. She couldn't believe she was about to do this.

"Kotoko, are you ready?" A blonde young woman popped her head into the wagon that Kotoko had been changing her clothes in.

"I…I think so," Kotoko said.

The blonde smiled. "Here, let me help you with your cap."

Kotoko allowed the other young woman to pull the cap over her carefully pinned hair. "Thanks Yumi."

"Of course. Now come on. I'm sure Kazue and Rei want to see you too."

Yumi led Kotoko from the wagon and offered a flourish. "Well, what do you think?" the blonde asked.

A short girl with black hair and a tall young woman with shoulder-length brown hair glanced up and smiled.

"She's perfect!" The black haired girl, Kazue, proclaimed.

The taller girl, Rei, strode towards Kotoko and walked around her once. Rei's green eyes glittered with pride. "Absolutely flawless. As long as your hair stays up, no one will know you're a girl."

Kotoko let out a sigh of relief. "Oh good. Master Fortier has been so kind to accept me as an apprentice. He's been so understanding of my situation. I wouldn't want to cause him any trouble."

"It's ridiculous that you're having to go to these lengths to study law," Kazue said, shaking her head. "This kingdom can be so backwards…"

"I know. And it's such a shame! After all, what happens if you meet a potentially suitable young man dressed like this?" Yumi teased with a giggle.

"Oh Yumi, I'm not worried about that right now," Kotoko replied.

"Don't talk like that! You'll end up an old maid!" Yumi exclaimed. "Rei, talk some sense into her!"

"Relax Yumi. Kotoko is pursuing what she enjoys. As long as she does that, love will eventually come," Rei said.

Yumi huffed. "Easy for you to say. You're in love with our manager."

At that, Rei laughed. "Then just consider me proof. Now, Kotoko, we won't keep you any longer. I'm sure you'll want to be at Master Fortier's early."

"Thank you Rei! And thank all of you so much for your help," Kotoko said as she gathered up the bag containing the clothes she had changed out of. "Good luck with your performances!"

"You too! Remember to stop by tomorrow and tell us all about it!" Kazue exclaimed.

With this, Kotoko waved goodbye to her friends in the Lobelia Troupe and headed off to law firm of Master Fortier.

#

Kotoko's first day with Master Fortier came and went with surprising speed. The lawyer released his apprentice early, declaring that he didn't want to overwork her on the first day. He merely requested that if Kotoko wished to change out of her "apprentice disguise" before leaving, would she please exit the law firm through the side entrance? It would prevent any prying neighbors from asking inconvenient questions.

Once she changed from her disguise and exited down the side alley of the law firm, Kotoko decided to go to the market. Even though her hair had been let loose from its pins, she still donned her knitted cap before stepping out into the bustling main streets. After all, she had worn the cap for a while before using it as part of a disguise. In fact, she had been wearing it on the day that Master Fortier had offered her the apprenticeship. So the cap had become less of a hat and more of a good luck charm. She wondered if it would bring her luck today.

Upon reaching the market, Kotoko contentedly shopped about. She was so looking forward to cooking tonight. And perhaps a good meal would prevent her mother from asking too many questions about her day.

Halfway through the crowded market, Kotoko spied a stall that made her gasp in delight. She had heard that the sugared chestnut merchant had set up his stand weeks ago. But despite her best efforts, she hadn't been able to find him. Yet today, his store stood proudly in the busiest sector of the market.

She hurried over to the merchant and bought a bag of the sweetly scented nuts. But as she turned to go, she bumped hard into a woman in a pale green dress. The red-headed woman wavered and grasped Kotoko's arms to steady herself.

"Oh—excuse me." Yet, after a moment, Kotoko realized that the other woman was quite tall. And that the hands that had taken her arms were quite large. She glanced up at the redhead and her mouth dropped open slightly. Surely it was just her mind playing tricks on her. But, then again…

The "woman's" eyes rounded with fear, instantly confirming Kotoko's suspicions. "She" instantly ushered Kotoko into a nearby alley. Once out of earshot of the street, the redhead took Kotoko by the shoulders and pleaded, "Oh please—don't mention my secret to anyone! I can see it in your eyes—you know, don't you?"

Kotoko stammered a bit as she tried to formulate a correct response. "Uh, um…well, yes. I do know. But that's absolutely none of my business. Your choices are your own."

The redhead let out a sigh of relief and sagged forward a bit. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"Ranka! Ranka! Where are you?" At the call from the street, the redhead looked up. A rather stocky young man was wandering about in the avenue, apparently looking for someone.

The redhead offered Kotoko a smile. "Again, thank you."

With that, he headed out of the alley and joined the stocky young man. Kotoko watched them disappear into the crowd together, shaking her head.

" _What a strange encounter_ …"

She finished the rest of her shopping without incident and began to walk home. However, the main streets were crowded with people, horses and carts. So, Kotoko decided to take a back way that cut through a number of narrow alleys and one of the lesser used town squares.

As she walked the twisting maze of alleys, the hair on the back of her neck prickled as if someone was watching her. She turned briefly and noticed a man leaning against the wall of the alley behind her. She tried to shrug off the concern, but when she turned back again a few moments later, the same man had stooped to the ground as if searching for something.

By the time she walked into the deserted town square, Kotoko was certain she was being followed. Prepared for something unpleasant, she mentally ran through the list of items in her shopping. Perhaps she could bash her stalker in the head with the particularly large cabbage she had bought. That could be followed by a knee strike to the man's groin and a few other vicious strikes that would allow her to escape. If only she was wearing her apprentice disguise instead of this blasted dress! She had been taught to defend herself by a friend who was in the palace guard. He had always complained that women's fashion hampered their ability to fight and rightly so…

Before she crossed the square into the next alley, Kotoko stopped and turned to face the man with her cabbage at the ready. The man strode towards her with a smirk.

Footsteps galloped up behind Kotoko. "Hey! You get away from her!" someone yelled.

The color drained from the man's face. "That—that's a man! A man in a dress!" he cried.

Kotoko spun about to see a tall figure in a green dress barreling towards them. The figure viciously whirled a red wig in one hand like a sling.

Kotoko's would-be assailant needed no further discouragement. The man nearly fell to the ground as he scrambled away, screaming about "a crazy man in a dress."

The "crazy man" stopped beside Kotoko. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yes. Thank you," Kotoko replied. "I guess I'm lucky you were passing by."

The man ran a hand through his short brown hair with a nervous chuckle. "I suppose so! I just happened to see him following you. I felt like I needed to step in."

"I'm very glad you did." At the moment, there was no need to mention that she probably could have defended herself from the attacker.

Kotoko didn't know why, but this young man looked terribly familiar. When she tried to place his face, but failed, she said, "By the way, I'm Kotoko. But I'm afraid I never caught your name."

"Oh, it's Ryoji!" The young man replied.

Kotoko's eyes widened. The realization of _why_ this man looked familiar struck her like lightning.

"As in _Prince Ryoji?"_

#

When Master Fortier released her the next day, Kotoko wandered to the Lobelia Troupe's wagon. She was still in a daze from her meeting the day before with…the prince.

After the realization, Ryoji had chuckled in embarrassment, saying that she was "too good at finding out secrets." He admitted that he still wasn't used to his "street name" of Ranka and had offered his real name by mistake. However, the prince didn't seem bothered by the slip-up in the slightest. And before Misuzu came to collect him, he had begged to meet Kotoko again.

"Why?" she had asked in bewilderment.

"Because I feel I can trust you and I want to get to know you better," he had replied with a sunny grin. Kotoko hated to admit it, but his naïveté actually made him…quite attractive.

They had finally settled on meeting at the city clock tower in two days. Ryoji promised that he would find her in the crowd since he wouldn't be wearing his dress as a disguise that day. When she had asked how he was ever going to be able to spot her, he merely laughed.

"I'll just look for this," he said, pointing to her cap.

Now, Kotoko sat on the back of the Lobelia Troupe's wagon, wondering how she had ever become entangled with the prince of Ichio.

"Is something wrong?"

Kotoko glanced up to Rei. "Oh, there's nothing wrong exactly. Just something is difficult, that's all."

Rei took a seat beside her. "Is it something with the apprenticeship?"

"No, not at all. Master Fortier has been wonderful. It's just…I met a young man yesterday," Kotoko began.

"Ah, so it's _that_ kind of problem. Better keep your voice down. Yumi will be squealing at the top of her lungs if she hears," Rei said.

Kotoko smiled. "I'm sure she would."

"Well, go on! Tell me what happened!"

And so Kotoko related the tale of how she had bumped into Ryoji at the market and how he had later "saved" her from a potential attacker. All this was done while leaving out pertinent details like Ryoji's name and the fact that he had been wearing a dress. After all, there seemed to be no way to explain that part of things without revealing Ryoji's true identity. As she finished telling Rei the story, she said, "He's very naive and seems a bit silly. I'm not sure that he's my type at all. But he's part of a _very_ influential family. I'm afraid I'm actually a bit intimidated by his position!"

Rei nodded. "That's understandable. I assume that he's asked to see you again?"

"Yes, tomorrow."

"Well, in that case, I say that you should go and meet him. It's only for an afternoon, so what can it hurt? If it goes badly, simply excuse yourself gracefully."

"But what if it goes well?" Kotoko asked.

"Then see him again of course!"

"What about his position? If it _really_ goes well, then that could cause all sorts of problems!"

At this, Rei smiled and shook her head. "You worry too much. For now, just enjoy yourself. If it comes to the point that his social position could present a problem, then you two will probably already be madly in love. And that means that the two of you will be able to solve any problem together."

Kotoko considered her friend carefully. "Being in love has gotten to you, hasn't it?"

"I'm afraid it has. You know, Noboru has already said he wants to marry me," Rei said.

Kotoko's mouth dropped open. "What? Really? That's wonderful!"

"It is. Of course, we've decided to wait a while. I want to stay with the troupe for a bit longer."

"I'm sure. Have you told Yumi and Kazue?"

"No. I didn't feel like it was the right time yet. But I know I can trust you to keep it a secret."

Kotoko placed one hand over her heart and held the other up as if taking an oath. "I swear that your secret is safe with me!"

The two giggled. This apparently caught the attention of Yumi and Kazue.

"Hey! What are you two laughing about over there? Aren't we supposed to be rehearsing?" Kazue called.

"Be there in a minute!" Rei shouted back. She stood and leveled a gaze on Kotoko. "Remember what I told you. Just have fun tomorrow. Everything else will fall into place."

"Thanks Rei."

Kotoko watched as the three girls began their rehearsals. But as she thought over the advice Rei had given her, she sighed. It might have been sound counsel if she had been dealing with a baron or an earl or even a duke.

Yet how could such advice ever apply to _the prince_?

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Um…the one on the right is Hikaru!" Sumire cried.**_

 _ **"Wrong!" the twins chorused.**_

 _ **"Did we mention there's a penalty for wrong answers?" Kaoru asked as they sidled up to either side of Sumire.**_

 _ **Sumire's eyes widened. "No, you didn't!"**_

 _ **"Sorry, there is. It's a kiss—" Hikaru started.**_

 _ **"—From us both," they finished together as they leaned closer to Sumire. The girl reddened while her friends squealed.**_

 _ **"Oh me next! I want to guess!"**_

 _ **After more teasing of their guests, Hikaru and Kaoru sighted another target walking into the Great Hall.**_

 _ **"Highness!" They exclaimed, donning their jester's caps. "Guess which one is Hikaru!"**_

 _ **Haruhi paused for a brief moment, looking at the twins carefully. She finally proclaimed, "The one on the right is Hikaru."**_

 _ **"Wro—" But the twins broke off abruptly and stared at each other.**_

 _ **The princess had been correct.**_

Yep, that's right. The twins' arc has won out for the next arc. Check back Thursday to see how the twins react to this revelation!


	41. Chapter 41: Which One is Hikaru?

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **whathappensafter** : Okay! Your opinion has been noted! Thank you!

 **tmwillson3:** Ah, I think I can solve the issue with remembering OCs! As there should only be about four major OCs (only three of which may be reoccurring in multiple chapters), I can include a short list of the characters in the author's note before the chapters about Kotoko and Ryoji. Would that be helpful? I'm very glad you enjoyed the chapter though! I hope this update is just as interesting!

 **lillyannp:** I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Also, out of curiosity, where (or I suppose who) are you drawing the comparison to Ranka from? I'm afraid I'm missing the connection and I would love to know your thoughts! As for Sumire, you'll see what part she has to play!

 **Penstar1331:** Thank you! I'm very happy to hear that you enjoyed it! I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!

So, the reader question does stay the same for this update! In regards to the chapters about Kotoko and Ryoji, **how much "artistic license" will you guys accept in their arc?** I have included more detailed notes about OCs and some canon facts in chapter 40, so look there if you're interested in more information!

Since it's Thursday, the Reader Wishlist topic is changing! This update, I'd like to talk about... **Renge!** I know she's been included off and on in other chapters, but I want to know if you guys want to see more of her! One reviewer did mention a chapter regarding how she met the hosts (similar to the Lady Manager episode), so that option is definitely open and I am happy to discuss my tweaks to such a chapter in the next update if you guys are interested!

The next update will be on Monday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which there is the magical 18th century equivalent of FaceTime/Skype and twins playing games.

* * *

As the month went on, the temperature continued to drop in Shikanai. Yet despite the cold, any rain turned to sleet and ice rather than snow. After one particularly heavy rainstorm, the exterior of the castle turned into a slippery palace of ice. Such conditions were unpleasant and potentially dangerous, so the residents of the castle took to entertaining themselves inside for days at a time.

Yet two of the inhabitants of Shikanai's castle did not take well to this indoor restriction. Kaoru and Hikaru quickly became restless and irritable.

"I'm so bored!" Hikaru complained one day in the Great Hall as the troupe readied themselves to greet their court guests.

"I know! It could at least snow if it's going to be cold and wet," Kaoru mumbled.

"If you're bored, would you two like to talk to Reiko?" Honey chirped. He held up an ornate silver mirror to the twins. "Say hi to the twins, Reiko!"

Reiko's face peered out of the glass of the enchanted mirror. She offered a small wave to the twins. "Hello."

"Gah! Reiko! Is that sun coming through the windows behind you?" Kaoru demanded as he leaned towards the mirror.

The view in the glass shifted as Reiko apparently turned her mirror to show the view from her window. Slanted sunbeams fell onto trees that had still not lost their foliage. White puffy clouds drifted by in an intensely blue sky. "Yes. It is sun," Reiko's voice proclaimed.

"Agh—it's gorgeous there! It never gets this cold in Alsance!" Hikaru cried.

"We're going to be trapped in this ice palace forever!" Kaoru wailed.

Honey lowered the mirror and gazed into it, offering Reiko a shrug. "They've been like this for days," he confessed in a low voice.

"I would not expect them to take well to confinement," Reiko said as the twins' melodramatic fit continued in the background behind Honey. The short blonde took another look at the twins, shook his head then went to find a quieter corner to speak to his sweetheart.

"Hikaru, Kaoru! Are you two a couple of babies? Get a hold of yourselves!" Renge exclaimed. The twins paused their drama and glared at her.

"Who are you calling a baby? You were the one that threw a tantrum over a ripped seam the other day!" Kaoru retorted.

Renge reddened. "I—I wasn't feeling like myself that day! You can't judge me for that!"

"Oh sure we can," Hikaru shot back.

"Majesty!" Renge whined as she cast a glance back at Tamaki. "Can't you do something about these two?"

Tamaki sighed and stepped away from moving chairs in front of the hearth. "Kaoru, Hikaru, I understand that you're not used to being indoors for so long. But we still need to make things pleasant for our guests. Perhaps if you could turn your energy to a task, you might feel better?"

"Like what?" Hikaru muttered.

"Our guests might enjoy seeing your acrobatics. And wasn't there a game that you enjoyed playing with the courtiers in Alsance? It's been quite a while since I've seen you do it," Tamaki suggested.

At this, the twins brightened with identical mischievous grins. "Ah yes! Thanks for reminding us of that, milord!"

Tamaki tried not to look too dismayed as the twins scampered off. "I hope I haven't given them too many ideas…"

Upon arrival, the court guests were treated to an lively acrobatics routine from both of the twins. The guests clapped and laughed after every tumble and flip. But even such physically demanding sport did little to lessen the twins' energy. They gathered up their usual guests and donned their jester caps.

"Who wants to play a game?" they chorused.

Sumire, one of their most loyal court ladies, giggled and said, "I'd like to play!"

"Okay then! Which one of us is Hikaru?" the twins asked.

"Oh dear! It's so hard to tell when you have those caps on!" Sumire exclaimed.

"That's the point! Guess carefully now!" the twins prompted.

"Um…the one on the right is Hikaru!" she cried.

"Wrong!" the twins declared.

"Did we mention there's a penalty for wrong answers?" Kaoru asked as they sidled up to either side of Sumire.

Sumire's eyes widened. "No, you didn't!"

"Sorry, there is. It's a kiss—" Hikaru started.

"—From us both," they finished together as they leaned closer to Sumire. The girl blushed while her friends squealed.

"Oh me next! I want to guess!"

After more teasing of their guests, Hikaru and Kaoru sighted another target walking into the Great Hall.

"Highness!" They exclaimed, throwing on their jester's caps. "Guess which one is Hikaru!"

Haruhi paused for a brief moment, looking at the twins carefully. She finally proclaimed, "The one on the right is Hikaru."

"Wro—" But the twins broke off abruptly and stared at each other.

The princess had been correct.

The following stunned silence was soon interrupted by a snicker that turned into a peal of deep laughter. The twins and the princess turned to see Tamaki rising from his seat, laughing and clapping.

"Excellent, Highness! Really! I've known them for years and I've only won that game once! And both twins will still claim that wasn't a fair win. How did you do it?" he asked as he approached the trio.

"Well—" Haruhi began.

"Wait!" Tamaki held up a hand. "Don't answer that question!"

The troupe leader turned to Hikaru and Kaoru with a gleam in his eye. "Hikaru, Kaoru, I think I just found a solution to your boredom. See if you can figure out how the princess was able to tell you apart!"

At this charge, the twins' faces set with determination. "Fine, milord. We'll figure it out!"

And so the twins attempted to guess how the princess had told them apart.

They changed the way they normally parted their hair and found Haruhi before she went to her chambers. "Highness, which one is Hikaru?"

"The one on the left is Hikaru," Haruhi replied correctly. "And you've switched the way you part your hair. Did you think that would throw me off?"

The twins put on their _innamorata_ costumes, selecting two dresses that hadn't been used together on stage before. They popped out of an alcove as Haruhi passed by the music rooms. "Which one is Hikaru?"

"The one on the right is Hikaru. Really, changing your appearance won't help," Haruhi volunteered.

The twins snuck up on the princess while she was reading in the library. They put their hands over her eyes and said, "Which one is Hikaru, Highness?"

Haruhi held up her left hand. "This one is Hikaru."

When the troupe went to greet their court guests the next day, the twins had still not succeeded in discovering how the princess had distinguished them. So, they went for one final trick.

"Highness, which one is Hikaru?" they asked Haruhi when she walked into the Great Hall.

She gazed at them for a brief moment. "The one on the right is Hikaru."

"Wrong!" the twins exclaimed.

Haruhi's head cocked to one side. "No. I know I'm right. The one on the right is Hikaru."

The rest of the room waited for the twins to answer.

Both twins huffed. "How do you do it? Anyone else would have been convinced they were wrong!"

Haruhi laughed a bit as the room let out a sigh of relief. "Well, it's hard to put into words. But in a way, Hikaru's cadence is more…mischievous."

"So it's the way we talk?" Hikaru and Kaoru chorused.

"That's not all there is to it, but it's part of it," Haruhi explained.

"Great, Hikaru, it's your fault!" Kaoru joked.

But his brother seemed to take offense at this joke.

"My fault? What do you mean, you crybaby?" Hikaru shot back.

Sensing the start of an argument, the rest of the troupe slipped over to Haruhi and the twins.

Kaoru quickly recovered from his shock. "Crybaby? Well, I'd rather be a crybaby than a pervert!"

The troupe looked to Hikaru, who retorted, "Oh please! Who got into whose bed last night?"

Like a tennis match, the troupe glanced at Kaoru for his reply. "Only because you were whimpering in your sleep like you were afraid!"

"That's rich! You're the one that get night-terrors!"

"You grind your teeth!"

"You flail around like a dying fish!"

Finally, both twins closed in on each other. "You've been copying me since the day we were born!" they shouted at the same time.

"Um, maybe you two should take a second and calm down," Haruhi started.

"You stay out of this!" Kaoru and Hikaru yelled.

Abruptly, the twins' heads jerked as if they had been struck by some invisible force. They yelped in unison.

Kyoya stepped between the twins. "I find the manner in which you both spoke to Her Highness _highly_ offensive. In fact, I believe a private apology is in order for such a transgression."

The illusionist turned back to the wide-eyed courtiers. "I'm afraid we will have to cut this afternoon's session short. However, tomorrow should proceed as planned."

The courtiers nodded and quickly made their exits. When the last courtier left the hall, Tamaki, who had managed to control his anger in front of the courtiers, rounded on the twins.

"Apologize to Her Highness! Immediately!" he cried.

"We're sorry," the twins muttered with a glance at Haruhi. Again, their heads jerked as if they had been struck.

"A _heartfelt_ apology," Kyoya said. "Suited for royalty."

"Guys, this really isn't necessary," Haruhi began.

"But it is," Honey said. "Even if it's not due to your position, as your _friends,_ Kaoru and Hikaru should at least be willing to apologize and mean it."

The twins grumbled, but stepped in front of Haruhi and bowed.

"My apologies, Highness," Kaoru said. "I'm afraid my brother doesn't know when to leave things alone."

Hikaru glared at his brother from his bowed position. "I am deeply sorry, Your Highness. And I apologize for Kaoru's rudeness as well."

"What? I'm the rude one?" Kaoru snapped out of his bow in fury. "I bet you weren't even sorry!"

"You're the one that started the argument again!" Hikaru growled.

Haruhi sighed and covered her eyes with one hand as the twins squared off again.

"You know what?" Hikaru said. "There's only one way to settle this."

"I know what you're thinking and I agree," Kaoru replied.

"We have to duel," they declared.

* * *

And the next chapter update is...

 _ **"Are you two crazy? You can't have a duel!" Tamaki exclaimed. "What happens if one of you gets hurt?"**_

 _ **"We get hurt," Hikaru said with a shrug.**_

 _ **"I'm afraid I'm inclined to agree with Tamaki. A duel seems like an excellent way for one or both of you to be wounded. And you're both too valuable to the troupe to risk that," Kyoya said.**_

 _ **"Yeah, so what are you going to do about it?" Kaoru muttered.**_

 _ **Kyoya smirked cheerily. "Oh, I believe I could figure something out."**_

 _ **Everyone in the troupe took a step away from the illusionist. His good spirits usually meant trouble for someone else.**_

So what does our illusionist have in mind? And who will be the victim of this good humor? Check back Monday to find out!


	42. Chapter 42: The Illusionist's Suggestion

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! I'm starting with review responses as usual!

 **A.A. Enchanted Crystal Blade:** Oh, thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And please, don't apologize-I understand being busy! Hope this chapter is just as interesting!

 **lillyannp:** Ah yes! The similarities between Ranka and Tamaki are definitely there and I plan on playing with them even more later on. And excellent point with the irony on the twins' agreement! This chapter should answer some of your questions about Kyoya as well-hope you enjoy it!

 **tmwillson3:** Is the fight real or is it faked? I can't answer that quite yet! But I promise there are twists to come! And I will absolutely include more of Renge. I totally agree on the matchmaker part-I really wish that had been brought out more in the anime and manga. But hey, that's what we have fanfiction for, right?

 **Penstar1331:** Thank you! So glad to hear you're enjoying it!

 **swimmer1102:** I'm happy you've enjoyed the previous chapters! And don't worry about not being able to review-I know everyone gets busy and has other circumstances that may prevent them from reviewing on a regular basis! But I'm very glad to have you back!

So, it's Monday, meaning that the reader question is up for a change! Looking at the plot I have planned so far for the next...fifteen to twenty chapters, I've realized that reader opinion may have an influence on the placement of one chapter. I don't want to spoil too much, so I will simply ask this: **in the anime, how did you guys feel about the timing of the events _during_ the storm that occurred in episode eight, The Sun, the Sea and the Host Club?** Did this occur too early, at exactly the right time or could it not have happened soon enough? In this case, please ignore the manga as my memory is a bit hazy as to when exactly this happened! But please send in your thoughts-they can help me with planning ahead!

And the Reader Wishlist topic is still the same this update! **What would you guys like to see involving Renge?** Anything and everything is welcome as long as it's PG-13 or less!

The next update will be on Thursday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter, in which a compromise is made!

* * *

Shortly after the twins' declaration, Mei visited the Great Hall to fetch Haruhi for a dress fitting. The princess had protested, but the rest of the troupe assured her that they would eventually get the twins to see reason. After Haruhi's exit, the troupe leader turned his full ire on his troublesome companions.

"Are you two crazy? You can't have a duel!" Tamaki exclaimed. "What happens if one of you gets hurt?"

"We get hurt," Hikaru said with a shrug.

"I'm inclined to agree with Tamaki. A duel seems like an excellent way for one or both of you to be wounded. And you're both too valuable to the troupe to risk that," Kyoya said.

"Yeah, so what are you going to do about it?" Kaoru muttered.

Kyoya smirked cheerily. "Oh, I believe I could figure something out."

Everyone in the troupe took a step away from the illusionist. His good spirits usually meant trouble for someone else.

"You can't just bar us from dueling, ya know," Hikaru growled.

"But I can provide a suitable alternative," Kyoya replied.

"What are your thoughts?" Tamaki asked, intrigued.

"Instead of a true duel, which would only result in one or both twins becoming injured—perhaps mortally so, we hold a brief competition. Three events. The loser then must issue a public apology to the other twin in front of the entire court," Kyoya stated.

The twins glanced at the illusionist suspiciously.

"What kind of events would there be?" Hikaru asked.

"I'd rather not reveal that until I've considered the options carefully. However, with as much as you two enjoy playing games, I assure you that you won't be disappointed," Kyoya said.

The twins narrowed their eyes. Kyoya stared back at them cooly. Everyone knew that going against the illusionist would be a potentially humiliating exercise in futility.

Finally, Hikaru said, "Fine."

"I'll do it," Kaoru added.

At this agreement, Tamaki let out a breath. "Excellent. Kyoya, I trust you can handle the other preparations."

"Yes," the illusionist replied.

"Very good. In that case, I will be back in a bit," Tamaki headed for the door of the Great Hall.

"Where are you going, Tama?" Honey asked.

"To inform the princess of the decision! I'm sure she would like to know," Tamaki replied breezily.

And with that, the troupe's leader headed for the princess's chambers.

#

"Oh it's you. Please come in and let me get Haruhi," Mei said when she opened the door to Tamaki.

"Thank you," he said as she ushered him in.

But as Tamaki took a seat in the princess's sitting room, Mei paused. Noticing her hesitation, Tamaki asked, "Is something wrong?"

"The twins. They're not really going to duel, are they?" the lady-in-waiting asked.

Tamaki shook his head. "No. We couldn't have that. They're too important to the troupe."

Mei sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. They're little devils, but I'm afraid I've gotten attached to them. I'd hate to see something happen to either one."

"As would we all."

Mei offered a brief smile before continuing on to Haruhi's room.

A few moments later, Haruhi emerged from her bedroom. She crossed the room to Tamaki before he could stand.

"Don't get up. If it's just the two of us, there's no reason to be so formal," Haruhi said as she sat down next to him. She looked to him gravely. "So are the twins going to duel?"

"Absolutely not. We promised we would talk sense into them and we have," Tamaki said.

"Good. What did you have to do to convince them not to?"

"Kyoya is arranging a small competition for them. I'm not sure of the details other than it will be three events and the loser must offer a public apology to the victor," Tamaki explained.

Haruhi frowned slightly. "Why would you go to all this trouble to accommodate them? Couldn't you just tell them that you wouldn't allow the duel and be done with it?"

"Well, that would hardly be fair to the twins."

"But I thought you said you were the king of the troupe. Can't a king issue orders?"

Tamaki laughed. "I'd feel I was abusing my power then. I couldn't simply overrule the wishes of one of the members of my troupe, let alone two of them."

"This monarchy of yours sounds more like a democracy."

"Ruling with an iron fist has never been my forte. After all, a good leader must hear out all opinions, even if he or she disagrees with what is being said. It is impossible to resolve problems if people's concerns are ignored outright."

Haruhi seemed to mull this thought over for a moment. "That's very wise advice."

"Thank you. A very successful man once told me that."

"Who was he?"

"Oh, it would take far too long for me to tell you about him now. Perhaps another time. In any case, as the troupe's leader, I have one more duty that brought me here. I feel it is necessary for me to issue a real apology on Hikaru and Kaoru's behalf."

"Really, you don't have to. It's not that big of a deal."

"But it is. They behaved abominably," Tamaki persisted. "I sincerely believe that the weather and their irritation with each other caused them to be so ill-mannered. Perhaps they'll come to their senses after this competition. Until then, I formally apologize for their behavior and hope you will accept this token."

Tamaki executed a simple twisting flourish and produced a white rose out of the air.

"How do you do it?" Haruhi exclaimed as he offered her the rose. "Really! I can't see the trick to it. Let me see your hands."

With a grin, Tamaki set the rose aside and displayed his open palms. Haruhi studied them intently, then began to reach for the cuff of his long sleeve.

"You won't find anything there, princess," he declared, his smile widening.

"Why not?" Haruhi did not break her scrutiny of his hands.

"Because I'll never have anything up my sleeves with you, of course!"

At this, Haruhi glanced up at him, curiosity shining in her eyes. Abruptly, Tamaki realized just how close they were to each other. Heat sprang to his cheeks and he prayed that the accompanying flush wasn't noticeable. He tried to speak, but all words seemed to have fled his mind.

Thankfully, Haruhi spoke, "Up your sleeves or not, I intend to find out how you do it."

"We—well, Highness, I don't doubt your ability to find out such secrets," Tamaki replied.

"Will you tell me if I correctly figure out what you've done?"

"Of course."

Before Haruhi could respond, Mei stuck her head into the room. "Haruhi, I need you to try on the dress again."

The princess winced and Tamaki restrained the urge to laugh. He rose from his seat and said, "I suppose that's my cue to leave."

"You don't have to go," Mei protested. "I should only need Haruhi for a few minutes. You could have tea with us."

"Thank you, Mei. But I can't leave the troupe for long in such a crisis," Tamaki replied.

"Oh, right. Well, good luck with the twins. Don't let them cause too much trouble," Mei said.

"Absolutely. And I will keep you both informed," Tamaki added.

"Thank you," Mei and Haruhi chorused.

Tamaki bowed to the princess and her lady-in-waiting and made his exit.

But as he made his way down the hall leading away from the princess's chambers, he thought of the moment after he had given Haruhi the rose. The flush threatened to rise again, but Tamaki shook off the thought as best he could.

" _Not now. The troupe needs me. I have to keep the troupe together. That must always come first."_ He thought. " _After all, if I can't keep harmony within the troupe, then what kind of monarch am I?"_

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 ** _"Kyoya, how exactly will this competition work?" Renge asked._**

 ** _The illusionist took a sip of his tea. "Well, for each event, I considered the strengths and weaknesses of each twin. Kaoru is much more patient than Hikaru. And of the two, Hikaru is much better at improvisation."_**

 ** _Haruhi seemed to have caught onto Kyoya's line of thought. "Which explains the first two events."_**

 ** _"Exactly, Highness."_**

 ** _"But what about the third?" Mei asked._**

 ** _"I believe the twins are equally matched in intellectual ability. A scavenger hunt should give them the chance to demonstrate that."_**

 ** _"So the competition ultimately comes to a tie," Haruhi stated._**

 ** _The illusionist smiled, but did not respond._**

Is Kyoya this diabolical? And will his plan work? Or will the twins find a way to upset these careful machinations? Check back Thursday to find out!


	43. Chapter 43: The Twins' Duel

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses start us off as usual!

 **MagicQuill42:** Thank you! I'm so happy to hear that you're enjoying it! Thank you so much for taking the time to review!

 **A.A. Enchanted Crystal Blade:** Thanks! I hope the competition lives up to your expectations! And thank you for your opinion-it helps me a lot!

 **lillyannp:** Fantastic-your opinion has been heard and noted! And while I can't answer exactly _who_ Tamaki is quoting, I will say this: Alsance's young king has been advised quite well during his rule. Also, excellent choice of words regarding Kyoya!

 **tmwillson3:** Aww, I'm so happy you liked it! And fantastic suggestion regarding Renge-I think you might see some seeds of that suggestion being planted in this chapter!

Now, the reader question stays the same for this update. So, **in the anime, how did you guys feel about the timing of the events _during_ the storm that occurred in episode eight, The Sun, the Sea and the Host Club?** Did they happen too early? Was it just right? Or were you screaming that it should have happened _ages_ ago? Your opinions really will help me on this one so please send them in!

Since it's Thursday, the Reader Wishlist topic is changing! I've been considering some of the secondary characters in the manga and anime and wondering which ones to bring out more. So, for this week, **do you guys have any scenarios/thoughts regarding Kirimi** **?** Our junior lady-in-waiting seems to have disappeared for quite a bit while the older kids have their fun. Now, because she is one of the few really young characters in the anime and manga, I would like to address the character ages in this AU. In the start of the anime and manga, the hosts ranged in age from 15 (the twins) to 17 or 18 (Honey and Mori). Haruhi was supposedly 15 or 16. In this AU, her 18th birthday is coming up, meaning that Kirimi would be about seven or eight. Might seem like a small point, but it's worth noting!

The next update will be on Monday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which the twins compete!

* * *

The morning after the twins' compromise, Kyoya declared he had decided on the events for the competition. The twins were rushed from the room and Honey, Mori and Tamaki crowded about the illusionist to hear what games were in store.

Their reactions were far more puzzled than enthusiastic.

"But…why those events specifically?" Honey asked.

"Kyoya, are you sure about this? Your choices are a touch…unusual," Tamaki said.

"I have my reasons. Do you have cause not to trust my judgement?" Kyoya inquired.

Tamaki shrugged helplessly. "You have an excellent point."

"We must make certain that the nature of the events are kept from the twins. I don't want either one of them attempting to prepare beforehand," Kyoya said.

"Understood," Tamaki said.

"Yessir!" Honey chirped.

"Ok," Mori added.

When news of the events reached the princess and her lady-in-waiting, the two were so perplexed that they summoned the illusionist to tea. Renge, who had become Mei's near-constant companion, joined them as well.

"Kyoya, how exactly will this competition work?" Renge asked.

The illusionist took a sip of his tea. "Well, for each event, I considered the strengths and weaknesses of each twin. Kaoru is much more patient than Hikaru. And of the two, Hikaru is much better at improvisation."

Haruhi seemed to have caught onto Kyoya's line of thought. "Which explains the first two events."

"Exactly, Highness."

"But what about the third?" Mei asked.

"I believe the twins are equally matched in intellectual ability. A scavenger hunt should give them the chance to demonstrate that."

"So the competition ultimately comes to a tie," Haruhi stated.

The illusionist smiled, but did not respond.

Haruhi let out a small laugh. "Kyoya, that's diabolical."

"A necessary trait when dealing with devils," Kyoya replied.

To ensure a fair competition, the exact details of the events were withheld from general conversation with the courtiers and staff. But the mystery surrounding the "unusual events" only seemed to stoke the fires of gossip. No one seemed to take sides with the twins—they were both generally well-liked and very few of the courtiers were close enough to them to tell one from the other. Yet every member of the court clamored to be one of the competition's three judges.

The judges were selected the day after the announcement. To prevent any bias, courtiers that professed themselves to be fans of the twins were ruled out from the selection. In the end, Kyoya chose Hina and Kazukiyo as two of the judges. Haruhi and Mei suggested the final judge whose identity would be kept a secret until the competition.

Every time they were excluded, the twins protested. The other troupe members were swift to remind them that they were the ones who desired a duel. However, when Hikaru was discovered spying on the preparations, both twins were confined to separate rooms in the servants quarters with Kasanoda as a guard. They were not released until the rest of the troupe declared that the competition was ready.

#

Kaoru stood on the east end of the Great Hall, bouncing on his toes as he waited for the competition judges to enter the room and take their places. By now, a fairly large crowd of courtiers and staff had gathered. Such a spectacle was not to be missed, especially considering the icy world outside the castle.

" _Well…who would have thought it would come to this?"_ Kaoru thought with a slight laugh. He glanced across to the west end of the Hall where Hikaru paced. The other twin looked up and for a moment, their eyes locked. Hikaru then broke the eye contact with a snort and returned to pacing. '

"Good morning, Kaoru," someone said behind him.

Kaoru turned to Haruhi with a smile.

"Morning, Highness."

"I'm supposed to put this on you—just in case your hats fall off during the scavenger hunt." Haruhi produced a tiny coral rose bud and tucked it into the buttonhole of Kaoru's coat. She offered a smile as she finished placing the rosebud. "Good luck."

"Thank you."

Kaoru watched as she strode to the other side of the hall with a light blue rosebud in hand.

Moments later, the doors to the Hall opened and Tamaki's voice announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the entrance of the judges!"

The courtiers jumped to their feet, all chattering as they attempted to catch a glimpse of the secret judge.

Hina strode in first, followed by Kazukiyo. But the third judge did not proceed immediately after them. The courtiers waited with bated breath until the third judge was pushed into the Great Hall in a whirl of black fabric and gasps.

"Is that His Grace?" one courtier asked.

"My goodness, he doesn't usually participate in such events," another said.

Nekozawa cast one look around at the room, then trudged after the other judges. Kaoru noticed that the dark duke glanced to the princess, who smiled encouragingly and waved him on.

Once the judges were settled, Tamaki stepped to the center of the room.

"Well, I don't think we expected such a turn out for our little event," he joked. "But, may I please remind our audience that this is serious business. A bit of gravity would be greatly appreciated."

The courtiers nodded and slowly hushed. Following the silence, Tamaki said, "Hikaru, Kaoru, would you please come forward?"

Kaoru strode to the troupe's leader and stopped beside Hikaru.

"I believe it is time we began. Your first event is a trial of creativity and patience," Tamaki started. As he spoke, Honey and Mori pushed two covered carts forward. "This event consists of an art that dates back many years. And that art is…flower arranging!"

" _What?"_ Kaoru thought with a groan.

Mori and Honey whisked the covers off of the carts to reveal a vast array of colorful flowers and vases. The audience gasped, exclaiming over the variety of flowers.

"How on earth did they get those flowers in winter?"

Kaoru looked over to Kyoya, who stood smirking in the corner. Oh, he knew how the troupe had produced such flowers.

"You will have two hours to create an arrangement of singular beauty," Tamaki declared. "The judges will then award scores and the winner for this event will be selected before we move on to the next!"

Tamaki allowed the murmurs from the crowd to die down before he looked to the twins. "Gentlemen, your time begins…now!"

Kaoru ran to one of the tables and took stock of his supplies. He risked a peek at Hikaru, who was already placing flowers from his cart. But Kaoru paused and took a deep breath.

" _Ok…Concentrate. You have plenty of time…You just need to plan."_

He picked up one of the bright blue flowers and eyed one of the shorter vases. And so an image began to form in his mind.

Two hours later, Honey called a halt to the event. Kaoru dropped his last flower into the arrangement and stepped back. Now, to wait for the judges.

The three judges visited Hikaru first. Hikaru presented an arrangement that exploded from a tall slender vase in a chaotic flurry.

"The colors are a bit…varied," Hina commented as she examined the arrangement. "Did something inspire it?"

"Um…well…not really," Hikaru said.

"The flowers may have been placed a touch…haphazardly," Kazukiyo offered.

"It looks to be off-balance," Nekozawa stated.

As the duke spoke, the vase rocked. The audience cried out as the entire arrangement toppled to the floor and shattered before Hikaru could grab it.

Kazukiyo and Hina looked to Nekozawa as Hikaru cursed in fury. The duke held up his hands as if swearing he hadn't done it. With this, the judges hurriedly made their way to Kaoru's table.

Kaoru took a deep breath as the judges surveyed his piece. The short vase had formed the base for a sweeping arrangement of blue, purple and white flowers. It dropped to the table in a graceful wave.

"I love the colors," Hina said. "It's obvious that you planned them quite carefully."

"The composition is excellent. It reminds me of a weeping willow," Nekozawa said.

"That's what inspired it, Your Grace," Kaoru replied.

"You've obviously put a great deal of thought into this," Kazukiyo said.

"Thank you."

The judges crossed the room to Tamaki and murmurs floated through the air. The courtiers strained to hear. After a few moments of deliberation, Tamaki nodded and the judges stepped back.

"I believe we have our victor for this event," Tamaki said. "And the winner of the floral arranging event is…Kaoru!"

Kaoru let out a sigh of relief, trying to suppress the grin rising to his face. He didn't want to look arrogant. After all, Hikaru had tried his best. But Kaoru knew that his twin was too impatient to be good at something like flower-arranging.

Mori and Honey cleared away the flower carts and Tamaki continued, "Our second event is one of skill and quick thinking! Twins, in this event, you must show us your acrobatic abilities in simultaneous solo performances!"

Kaoru's mouth dropped open. He had always practiced any acrobatic acts carefully with his brother. How was he ever supposed to perform on such short notice…and alone?

Honey ran a rope down the center of the floor and either end of the rope was weighed down with a sandbag.

"Each twin is to stay on either side of this line to prevent interference," Honey announced. "Crossing the line will result in instant disqualification."

Kaoru surveyed the space created by the rope. It would be more than enough room to perform tricks. The problem would be pulling together a routine so quickly.

"Gentlemen, please take your places," Tamaki called.

Kaoru walked to his side of the rope, his heart pounding. The judges sat in three chairs some ways away from the makeshift performance area. He hoped he could impress them.

"Begin!" Tamaki cried.

Kaoru jumped into the start of a routine he usually performed with his brother. The first part would be easy enough to perform on his own. It might not be showy, but it would give him time to think.

After a few simple tumbles across the floor, he thought he had a plan together. On the opposite side of the hall, Hikaru performed so easily that he seemed to be dancing on air. The judges were apparently enraptured. Kaoru set his jaw. He would get their attention.

He launched forward into a handspring that arced far across the floor and ended in a tumbling jump in midair. With a flourishing pirouette, Kaoru turned back to complete the circuit. But halfway through the springing leaps and rolls, indecision latched onto him. Should his next move be a twist or a flip? He needed to impress the judges. He had to get this right.

The first bounce flung him into what started off as a twist but began to morph into a flip. On the next leap, his off-balance position sent his feet skittering out from under him.

He landed on his face with a solid _thump_.

The spectators sucked in a breath as the room stopped. Kaoru groaned and slowly pushed himself up to sitting. Well, at least nothing seemed to be severely injured, even if there were stars in his eyes. His ears rang with a thousand church bells.

He looked over to Hikaru's side and realized that his twin had paused mid-routine. Nothing could hide the look of concern in Hikaru's eyes.

Mori and Honey rushed over, asking if they could help Kaoru stand. He nodded and rose from the floor slowly, leaning heavily on Honey for support. The crowd clapped as he hobbled over to a chair and sank down.

At this turn of events, Tamaki came forward, calling for a halt to the acrobatics. "The judges have seen enough to make a decision."

The three judges put their heads together and conferred for a brief moment. They then summoned Tamaki over, who affirmed that he had received their verdict.

"Well, it seems to have been a bit of a close call," Tamaki said. "But the winner of the acrobatics event is…Hikaru!"

Kaoru clapped along with the audience. He wasn't bitter about the loss. Even without the fall, he wouldn't have been able to match Hikaru. Simply put, the more capable twin had won.

Yet the judgement meant that they were now matched one to one.

So the scavenger hunt would decide the entire competition.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Kaoru's teeth clenched together as he crumpled the scrap of paper. What was Kyoya playing at?**_

 _ **"How is that even a hint?" Hikaru complained as he paced behind Kaoru. "It doesn't even mean anything!"**_

 _ **Suddenly, Kaoru heard something crack above them. His head snapped up.**_

 _ **A chunk of ice plummeted from the overhang above them.**_

 _ **Hikaru stood right under it.**_

 _ **"Look out!" Kaoru cried.**_

What is Kyoya up to? Could there be unintended consequences to this competition? Where will this cliffhanger lead? Check back Monday to find out!


	44. Chapter 44: The Scavenger Hunt

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **lillyannp:** I'm sorry-I couldn't help the cliffhanger! It was too good to pass up. But I promise it's resolved in this chapter!

 **A.A. Enchanted Crystal Blade:** Aw, thank you so much! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **MagicQuill42:** Well, I think you'll have your answer to that question soon. But I'm very glad it's hard to tell-that's what I was aiming for!

 **DiamondSparkle42:** Hahaha-I laughed _waaaay_ harder at your vase comment than I should have. I honestly wasn't even thinking about the vase reference when I wrote that, but that's a great parallel! And as for Kyoya...well...you'll see soon!

 **tmwillson3:** Ding ding ding-you've found the anime parallel! Now, as for whether it's treated the same...read on! Thank you for your opinions on the storm and on Kirimi! I will definitely file away your ideas with Kirimi for future reference.

 **Hana Chouchou:** Thanks for your review. I'll keep your suggestions in mind.

 **QueenRainbow:** Thank you so much! I'm always happy to hear from new readers enjoying the fic! I'm afraid I can't give a more specific answer to your question other than close to the end of the fic. Thank you for taking the time to review!

And I have fantastic news-this fic has officially received 100 followers! I'd like to give huge thank you's to all of you-your support is always a huge source of motivation! I hope all of you are enjoying the fic so far!

So, the reader question is up for a change! I've been sketching the major plot points for the next few chapters and I've realized that another Kotoko and Ryoji arc chapter is coming up soon! This chapter will of course be centered around their first date. I want to know: **is there anything specific you would like to see between these two?** Any first date hijinks? Who should be the more awkward party on this date? Send in your thoughts and I will work them in where I can!

Again, the Reader Wishlist stays the same. For this update, **are there any scenarios that you would like to see with Kirimi?** She would be seven or eight in this AU if it helps. I'd love to hear all of your thoughts!

The next update will be on Thursday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a scavenger hunt occurs and a cliffhanger is resolved!

* * *

In light of Kaoru's fall, Tamaki declared an hour break in the competition before the final event. While the crowd of spectators drifted off, the judges, Mei, Haruhi and the rest of the troupe attended to the injured twin.

"Are you okay?" Hina asked.

Kaoru offered a slight grin. "Yeah. At least the bells in my ears are going away now."

"You hit that hard?" Mei exclaimed. "That's terrible!"

"I knew it looked bad but it sounds like it was even worse," Kazukiyo said. The courtier paled and shivered.

"Are you sure you're alright? The scavenger hunt might involve a good bit of activity. We can suspend the event if you need us to. I don't want you to injure yourself further," Tamaki said.

"I'll be fine, milord," Kaoru assured him.

"Do you want me to get Misuzu?" Haruhi asked. "He usually keeps medicines, pastes and packs on hand to help with minor injuries."

"Thank you Highness. But I don't think that will be necessary. I just need time to shake it off."

"The offer still stands if you need it later," Haruhi said.

Kaoru smiled and nodded. "Of course."

"If you need anything, Kaoru, just ask us!" Honey chimed. "We all want to help."

"I'll remember that," Kaoru replied.

As the others moved away, Hikaru trudged over to his brother.

"You okay?" Hikaru's question might have been asked roughly, but Kaoru knew it was an attempt to mask real concern.

"Yeah. It was just a fall," Kaoru said. "By the way, nice job on the acrobatics routine."

Hikaru scuffed a foot on the floor absently. "Thanks. You did a good job with the flowers."

"Thanks."

A heavy silence filled the air for a moment.

Finally, Hikaru shrugged. "Well, I guess good luck on the scavenger hunt."

"You too."

And with that, Hikaru meandered off.

Kaoru spent the next hour alternately resting or walking about the Great Hall to ease his soreness. At some point during this break, a simple lunch was brought to both twins. Shortly before the end of the hour, Honey returned to the Great Hall.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, I've been asked to bring you to the starting point for the scavenger hunt," he said.

Kaoru nodded and donned the blue-plumed hat that had been selected to differentiate him from his twin. Similarly, Hikaru donned a pink-plumed hat as they followed Honey out of the Hall.

Honey led the twins into the central part of the castle and started through a maze of corridors. Courtiers seemed to be dispersed down every hall in clumps.

"So why are they here?" Hikaru asked, gesturing to the courtiers.

"They just want a chance to see some of the hunt," Honey replied. "But don't worry—they don't know where you two need to go."

They eventually found Tamaki standing alone in a hall near the north wing.

The king of the troupe grinned and bowed to both twins. "Well men—I hope you're ready."

"Yeah, whatever," Hikaru said.

"Let's get started," Kaoru said.

Tamaki nodded and produced two folded notes from his pocket. "To make sure things are fair, we have started you both at equal distances from your first locations for the hunt. I've been told that the first two locations in the hunt are unique to each one of you, but I'm not sure about the third and fourth. Best of luck to both of you."

And with that, Tamaki handed the two notes over.

Kaoru folded his note over frantically. In a curly script that was probably Renge's, it said:

 _Find the fount of all knowledge and the gateway to fantastical lands._

Kaoru's brow furrowed as he thought. Where on earth could that be? What place would have _all_ knowledge?

A few seconds later, Hikaru snapped and sprinted off down the hallway. Kaoru tried not to groan. How could he already be at a disadvantage?

" _So think. Knowledge. Where would that be in the castle?"_ he thought.

Then it hit him.

The library.

He shot down the hall with a whoop of triumph.

Kaoru rushed through the library doors and found Nekozawa sitting at a desk in the center of the library. The duke smiled slightly.

"Ah, Kaoru. You've made excellent time," he said. "In order to obtain the hint to your next location, you must answer a simple question."

"Okay—what is it?"

"What is the name of Princess Haruhi's mother?"

"That's easy! It's…" But Kaoru paused—his mind suddenly a blank. He blinked, trying to remember. Mei had mentioned it to Tamaki when they had first had tea with Haruhi. It started with…a K. Yes—that was it. He remembered now. "Queen Kotoko."

The duke whisked a note from his robes. "Excellent. May the gods be with you."

"Um, thanks," Kaoru replied as he opened the note. This one was written in a neat spidery script that might have been Mori's.

 _I dress in purple and in blue. Some days I am unable to decide between the two._

"Ha! That's easy!" Kaoru cried. And with that, he sprinted for the Great Hall.

Upon entering the Great Hall, Kaoru spied Kyoya in a chair on one side of the room. As Kaoru raced over, Kyoya glanced up.

"Well Kaoru, before I can give you your next hint, you must identify the difference between these two sketches," the illusionist said. Kyoya produced two sketches and handed them to Kaoru. The colored sketches depicted one of the troupe's scene involving _Columbina, Arlecchino_ and the _innamorati._ Kaoru looked to the _innamorati_ first, but couldn't see a difference between the two sketches. The costumes, the makeup and masks and even the colors used were exactly the same. So he looked to _Arlecchino_. Again, down to the blue, yellow and red diamond pattern, _Arlecchino_ was identical in both sketches. Kaoru cast a cursory glance over the background, but discovered no differences there. He turned his attention to _Columbina_. The costume style was the same, her kerchief the same as well. But as he peered at the pattern of the dress, a difference emerged.

" _Columbina's_ dress is patterned in dots in the sketch on the left and patterned with tiny stars in the sketch on the right," Kaoru declared.

Kyoya smirked and produced a note. Kaoru unfolded it eagerly. The elegant script inside had to be Tamaki's.

 _I have no lips, I cannot speak. Yet I am a place of secrets I cannot keep._

At this, Kaoru stopped. How could a place tell secrets?

He paced the room. There had to be a simple explanation. Secrets. Discovering secrets. That was usually done by…spies. Ah yes!

Kaoru laughed, sprinted out of the Great Hall and towards the Spy's Courtyard.

Halfway to the courtyard, Kaoru skidded into a chamber with stairs that led to the second floor of the castle. Hikaru galloped down the stairs at the same moment. And as Kaoru continued to run for the courtyard, he realized that Hikaru was following close behind him.

An icy blast met his face as he flung open the door to the courtyard. The grass, the bushes and tress were all covered in a fine layer of frost. Kaoru nearly stumbled to the ground as his feet slipped on the icy stone of the breezeway surrounding the courtyard.

"Careful," someone said. Kaoru turned to see Kazukiyo emerging from one of the alcoves of the breezeway. The courtier hunched into his coat as both twins stopped in front of him.

"The final hint of the hunt is hidden somewhere in this courtyard. I've been told that you will both need to work together to find it as there is only one," Kazukiyo said.

Kaoru and Hikaru frowned at each other.

"I guess if we have to," Hikaru muttered.

Kaoru simply nodded and the two trudged into the frozen courtyard.

Hikaru began hunting through nearby bushes, but Kaoru stopped him.

"Wait. Think. Why would we need to work together here? What's here that we couldn't do on our own?" Kaoru asked.

Hikaru glanced around the courtyard. "Maybe the hint is up somewhere high?"

"That would make sense," Kaoru said. His gaze fell on the ice-covered tree to one side of the courtyard. "Why don't we look up there?"

And so the twins walked over to the tree. Kaoru knelt so Hikaru could stand on his shoulders. Then, Kaoru carefully rose to perform a balancing act they had done hundreds of times before.

"This is it! I can see most of the lower branches up here," Hikaru said.

"Good! See if you can find the hint—it should be another note!" Kaoru called.

After a few moments of shifting about, Hikaru let out a triumphant "A-ha!"

"Did you find it?" Kaoru asked.

"Yeah…" By the way his brother trailed off, Kaoru knew that Hikaru was probably already reading the note. Nevertheless, Kaoru stooped down to let Hikaru down.

As soon as Hikaru came back down to earth, he snorted. "Some hint this is!"

He tossed the note to Kaoru. A neat, sharp script that Hikaru guessed was Kyoya's stated:

 _Seek the tower, battle the dragon. Finish the tale and let not your courage fail._

"What?" Kaoru mumbled. Tower? Dragon? A tale? Surely this couldn't refer to a fairy tale.

But then again, such a reference would make sense. But what on earth did it mean to "finish the tale?"

Kaoru wandered to one side of the courtyard. Fairy tales about towers and dragons usually also involved princesses. Perhaps he needed to go to Princess Haruhi. The first two challenges had been centered around her, so it fit the pattern. But simply visiting the princess didn't seem like something that took courage.

He ran over the fairy tales he could remember. Typically, a knight would fight the dragon and scale the princess's tower. But then…

Every story that he could remember ended with "true love's kiss."

Now _that_ would take courage. _That_ would take absolute, idiotic _recklessness_.

Kaoru's teeth clenched together as he crumpled the scrap of paper. What was Kyoya playing at?

"How is that even a hint?" Hikaru complained as he paced behind Kaoru. "It doesn't even mean anything!"

Suddenly, Kaoru heard something crack above them. His head snapped up.

A chunk of ice plummeted from the overhang above them.

Hikaru stood right under it.

"Look out!" Kaoru cried.

He dove for his brother. They crashed to the ground beneath the tree.

"Oh my goodness!" Above his pounding heart, Kaoru could hear exclamations from the courtiers that had come out to view this portion of the scavenger hunt.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, are you alright?" another court lady cried.

Kaoru raised his head to look at Hikaru. A thin scratch marked Hikaru's right cheek.

"You've got a scratch on your cheek," Kaoru said.

Hikaru touched the scratch. "A piece of ice must have gotten me. Looks like you've—you're bleeding!"

Kaoru suddenly became aware of a warm wetness trickling down his leg. He glanced back to see a deep gash running from his knee to his ankle.

"You're hurt! Kaoru, you're really hurt!" Hikaru cried, frantic. "We've got to go get help!"

"Hikaru, calm down, I'm—" But Kaoru's protests were cut off by Kazukiyo rushing into the courtyard.

"What happened? I saw the ice fall but…" Kazukiyo trailed off as he caught sight of Kaoru's leg. "Gracious…that's a great deal…of blood."

Kazukiyo swayed. The twins both winced as the courtier collapsed to the frozen ground.

The rest of the troupe soon hurried into the courtyard, followed by Mei and Haruhi. While the others tried to calm Hikaru, Kyoya examined Kaoru's wound and declared that it would need to be treated and bandaged. Mei instantly ran to get Misuzu. Mori and Honey carried an unconscious Kazukiyo into the castle while Tamaki, Kyoya and Hikaru helped Kaoru inside.

Despite the scramble, Haruhi seemed to remain calm. She spent most of her time sitting next to Kaoru, asking how he felt and ensuring that he wasn't lightheaded. For one completely mad moment, he thought about leaning over to kiss her. He wondered if that would give him victory in the scavenger hunt—not that it really mattered now. It would be quite interesting to see everyone's reactions. Tamaki likely wouldn't take it very well. And if the king found out about the final hint, it would serve Kyoya right.

But Kaoru saw Hikaru's fretful expression and decided against it. His twin was stressed enough. He didn't need to make it worse with some brash act.

So he settled for imagining how everyone might react instead.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Hikaru let out a breath. "I can't believe he got hurt because of me. I feel terrible."**_

 _ **"You shouldn't," Haruhi said.**_

 _ **He glanced over at her curiously. "Why not?"**_

 _ **"You couldn't help what happened. It was an accident. But, it should make you realize something."**_

 _ **"What's that?"**_

 _ **"Kaoru really loves you and you care about him just as much. I don't think a relationship like that is worth risking over something as silly as your argument."**_

 _ **Hikaru blinked as her words sank in. A slow smile spread across his face.**_

 _ **"Thank you, Highness—" he began.**_

 _ **"It's Haruhi—there's no one around, don't be so formal," Haruhi chided.**_

 _ **"Well, thank you, Haruhi. I think you're exactly right."**_

What's this? Could a reconciliation be on the horizon? Check back Thursday to find out!


	45. Chapter 45: Patching Up

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first as usual!

 **MagicQuill42:** So glad you enjoyed it! I think you'll like this chapter just as much!

 **A.A. Enchanted Crystal Blade:** I'm happy you liked it so much! And very interesting suggestion with Kotoko and Ryoji. I'm afraid Ryoji has already stated that he wouldn't be cross-dressing for their date, but Kotoko...Kotoko is a different story. Thank you for the suggestion!

 **lillyannp:** That's awesome that you picked up on that detail! Hope you enjoy this chapter too!

 **Sheepgirl418:** Well, Kyoya isn't exactly shipping...but you'll see! Glad to hear you're enjoying it still!

 **tmwillson3:** Great! I feel like Kaoru's perspective on matters was fairly intermittent in the anime and manga, but his perceptiveness drove the story forward in a lot of ways. I'm hoping to do something similar here. Thank you for the suggestion with Kotoko and Ryoji! There will definitely be hijinks! Now, to figure out the eighteenth century equivalent of a banana peel...

 **DiamondSparkle42:** Your prediction is correct, in a way! But I'm not sure if Kyoya added a large chunk of ice into his calculations. Read on and you may get a glimpse of the illusionist's real intentions!

 **Sabrinabella:** Fantastic-I'm always glad to hear that new readers are enjoying the story! But, I'm afraid that despite the title, my French language abilities are pretty much non-existent, my Spanish is rusting away somewhere and my Italian is languishing in some back corner of my mind. However, from some brute force translating, I think I have what you're saying. I'm happy you're excited and I do believe you picked up on the topic I've been dancing around regarding episode 8 in the anime! Look for something within the next three to five chapters regarding these two! Thank you so much for your review!

 **QueenRainbow:** Thank you for such a compliment! As for the fight...read on and I think you'll have your answer!

So, the reader question is still the same this week! The next chapter will be another Kotoko and Ryoji chapter about their first date! **What would you guys like to see between these two?** I'd love to hear your suggestions, so please send them in!

Since it's Thursday, the Reader Wishlist topic is changing! This is a bit of a gear shift as it's not so much about plot/characters, but more about _things_ you would like to see. And those things are... **poems! Specifically, love poems.** I have a chapter in mind that will involve these and would like to get a good variety to include. So, which poems would you like to see? Titles, lines or specific stanzas are all welcome! The only major caveat is that they need to be written before 1790 to fit with this AU's timeline. However, if there's one that you absolutely love that's been written after that, simply let me know and I will see if I can work it in!

The next update will be on Monday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a reconciliation may be on the horizon!

* * *

Hikaru paced outside the music room that Misuzu had set up as a makeshift infirmary. The rest of the troupe had gone to calm the panicky courtiers, leaving him alone to wait for news of his brother.

" _How did this happen? It was never supposed to go this far!"_ he thought. " _And it's all my fault!"_

His stomach twisted into an even tighter knot. Finally, he sank down onto a nearby bench. The moment that Kaoru had saved him replayed over and over in his mind. If only he had moved. If only his twin hadn't been so close to him. He would have rather taken the blow from the ice directly than see Kaoru hurt.

If only they hadn't started this stupid feud in the first place.

Footsteps clicked down the hall and he glanced up. Haruhi stopped in front of the bench.

"Have you heard anything yet?" she asked.

"Not yet."

She sat down beside him. "Are you doing okay?"

"Sure…"

"You know, it's fine if you're worried about Kaoru. You don't have to hide it. Everyone understands."

Hikaru hung his head. "It's that obvious?"

Haruhi smiled slightly. "I'm afraid it is."

"Do you think he'll be okay?"

"I'm sure he will be. Misuzu has a lot of experience in this area." Haruhi laughed a bit. "He used to patch Mei and me up all the time when we were younger."

"Wait, you needed to be patched up a lot as a kid?" he asked.

"Sure, most kids need to be. What makes you think I would have been any different?"

"I guess I figured since you're a princess…" Hikaru trailed off with a shrug.

"Well, I probably didn't get hurt in the same way as most kids. I usually ended up getting burned helping Misuzu in the kitchen. Mei accidentally cut me once during a dress fitting while trying to snip a stray thread." A faraway look passed over Haruhi's face. "I think the worst time had to be when I fell from the highest rung of a ladder in the library."

Hikaru's mouth dropped open. "What? What happened? Were you okay afterwards?"

"I tried to reach a book on the top shelf, but it was just out of my reach. I leaned a little too far to one side and slipped. Dad found me—he nearly went out of his mind. Somehow, Misuzu was able to fix me up. I've still got a scar from it though."

Haruhi pushed back her bangs to reveal a thin scar just under her hairline.

"Wow. Looks like you were pretty lucky."

"It might have been luck. But I would rather give Misuzu credit."

At that, Hikaru's thoughts went to his brother. "Do you think…do you think Kaoru will have a scar?"

Haruhi frowned. "I don't know."

He let out a breath. "I can't believe he got hurt because of me. I feel terrible."

"You shouldn't," Haruhi said.

He glanced over at her curiously. "Why not?"

"You couldn't help what happened. It was an accident. But, it should make you realize something."

"What's that?"

"Kaoru really loves you and you care about him just as much. I don't think a relationship like that is worth risking over something as silly as your argument."

Hikaru blinked as her words sank in. A slow smile spread across his face.

"Thank you, Highness—" he began.

"It's Haruhi—there's no one around, don't be so formal," Haruhi chided.

"Well, thank you, Haruhi. I think you're exactly right."

At that, she returned his smile. "I'm glad you think so. You two need to make up."

A moment later, the door to the music room opened and Misuzu stepped out. The advisor looked to Hikaru. "I've finished with your brother. He should be fine, but he needs to take care with his dressings. Can I trust you to help him with that?"

Hikaru nodded vigorously. "Of course."

"Good. In any case, you're welcome to visit him now. He's taking a moment to collect himself."

Hikaru leapt up from the bench. He didn't need further prompting. But before he charged into the music room, he paused and looked to Haruhi.

"Go ahead," she said as she rose from the bench. "We'll all be waiting for you both in the Great Hall."

So Hikaru continued into the music room. He found Kaoru lying on a chaise. The injured twin's stockings had been cut away neatly on one leg and replaced with a thick layer of cloth bandages. But despite this, Kaoru grinned widely at his brother. Hikaru rushed over and flung his arms around his twin.

Kaoru chuckled. "You weren't worried about me, were you?"

"Of course I was! You could have been really hurt. How are you now?"

"It's probably going to be sore for a little while, but I'll be okay soon."

Hikaru's shoulders sagged with relief. "Good."

"So, what happened while Misuzu was fixing me up?" Kaoru asked.

"I don't really know. I waited outside for you. The rest of the troupe had to deal with the courtiers. But Haruhi came and sat with me for a while."

"Ah, was she worried about me too?"

Hikaru paused, rerunning his conversation with the princess. "I…think so. But we didn't talk much about you. She mostly talked about accidents she had as a kid."

Kaoru grinned. "Obviously, she was trying to keep your mind off of me. She knew you would be fretting otherwise."

"Really? But why would she try to help me when you were the one that got hurt?"

"Because she checked on me earlier. She already knew I was okay. She wanted to make sure you were too."

Hikaru shook his head slowly with a slight laugh. "I guess that does make sense. You know, she said our fight was silly. That we shouldn't have risked our relationship over it."

"Well, guess it's a good thing it wasn't a real fight. Even if it did get a little messy towards the end," Kaoru said, nodding to his leg.

"Maybe next time we shouldn't take it so far."

"If there is a next time. We probably should think of an easier way to get Her Highness's attention than pretending to fight," Hikaru said.

"Definitely."

For a moment, the twins fell silent. Then, Kaoru swung his legs over the side of the chaise to stand. "Well, I'm sure everyone wants to know how I'm doing. Help me up?"

Hikaru hauled Kaoru to his feet. Kaoru retrieved his frock-coat from a nearby chair, put it on and the two headed for the Great Hall.

Yet, only a few steps outside of the music room, Kaoru patted his frock-coat's pockets as if searching for something. "Great. The last hint must have fallen out. I'll be back in a second."

"What—why do you need—" Hikaru started. But Kaoru had already ducked back into the music room.

While Hikaru waited, Kyoya came striding down the hall.

"Hikaru—how is the patient?" the illusionist asked.

"He says he's fine. We were going to the Great Hall but he said he dropped something."

"Ah. Well, I know it's probably of little consequence now, but did the two of you find the final hint?"

"Yeah. But it wasn't much of a hint. Just a bunch of gibberish," Hikaru said.

Kyoya passed a scrutinizing look over him. Such a gaze from anyone was uncomfortable, but coming from Kyoya…it made him want to squirm out of his skin.

"So the hint meant nothing to you?" Kyoya asked.

"Not a thing. What was it supposed to mean?"

"It could have meant a number of things."

Kaoru exited the music room, holding the crumpled bit of paper in one hand. "I found it."

But he stopped short when he saw Kyoya. A tight smile came to Kaoru's lips. "Kyoya, there you are. I was just going to give this last hint back to you." Kaoru handed over the paper, then added, "you wouldn't want the wrong people to find it of course. It might cause trouble."

"But in order to cause a problem, the finders would have to understand it," Kyoya replied, all cheerful coolness.

Kaoru fixed Kyoya with a hard stare. "I think you underestimate the finders severely. They would figure it out."

"Perhaps."

Hikaru looked between his brother and the illusionist. "What is going on? Who are you talking about? What about that would cause trouble?"

"It's nothing to be concerned about. In the end, all parties involved made the correct decision. And that's what matters," Kyoya said. He held the paper up. "This doesn't matter a bit."

Suddenly, the paper burst into flames, forcing the twins to flinch back. The note burned with a blue-white brightness, scattering to the floor in tiny flakes of ash.

Once the hint burnt completely, the illusionist smiled at both twins. "Now, everyone is waiting for you in the Great Hall. Shall we go?"

The twins fell into step behind Kyoya. But Hikaru was still perplexed by the conversation.

"What is Kyoya talking about? I don't understand what's going on," he muttered to Kaoru.

"It's nothing. Really. Kyoya said it's not a problem and it shouldn't be," Kaoru replied.

Hikaru might have misheard, but he thought his brother mumbled under his breath: "For now, at least."

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **As they walked, Kotoko felt as if someone was staring at her. She turned back to see a stocky figure dodging behind a rain barrel. Her head tilted to one side.**_

 _ **"What is it?" Ryoji asked.**_

 _ **"That man—the one who just hid behind the barrel—I recognize him. I think he's following us."**_

 _ **Ryoji looked over his shoulder, then laughed. "Ah, you're talking about Misuzu. He's the one who was looking for me when we met in front of the chestnut merchant. He decided to come along today as a bodyguard and a scout. But, he didn't want you to see him. Said he wanted to be discreet. That he didn't want to ruin our time together."**_

 _ **"Is that why he's acting so…strangely?" Kotoko glanced back again to see the end of someone's leg sticking out of a pile of hay.**_

 _ **"Yes. I'm afraid discretion has never been his strong point."**_

Oh dear. Looks like the hijinks have already begun! What else will happen on this date? Check back Monday to find out!


	46. Chapter 46: A Very Important Date

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses start off as usual!

 **A.A. Enchanted Crystal Blade:** Aw, you're too kind! And your favorite story? That is a huge compliment, thank you so much! Also, I took your idea into account with this chapter, I hope you like it!

 **Sabrinabella:** Thank you! And I suppose this means I managed to translate the last comment decently-let's see if I can do the same this time! Yes, it will absolutely be a mess-that's part of the fun, right? And of course the twins couldn't stay mad at each other forever. Glad you're looking forward to reading the rest!

 **tmwillson3:** I'd be terribly out of canon if the twins' motives were predictable! As for hijinks, I have attempted to do your idea justice. Let me know what you think! And thank you for the poem suggestions, I will keep all of those in mind.

 **MagicQuill42:** Of course-because we all know the twins' _real_ purpose is to mess with the audience's heads. I'd love to hear your poem suggestions, feel free to include them here or message them to me!

 **QueenRainbow:** Thank you! As for Kasanoda's men, I'm sure they'll have a purpose at some point. I just have to think of one! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **lillyannp:** Thank you! I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!

 **Sheepgirl418:** Aw, don't call yourself that! It was a perfectly reasonable assumption-this is the world of fanfiction and anything can happen. And to me, if Kyoya's motives seem a bit murky, that's even better. Very happy that you're enjoying it. I also love the nickname-thank you!

 **whathappensafter:** Oh yes, it's a definite possibility. I can't say when, but wait and see!

And since it's Monday, the reader question is up for a change. I believe that Shikanai will be seeing some snow in the near future! My own experience with the frozen white stuff is a bit limited, so I would like to know: **what snow-day activities would you all like to see included in the chapter?** These don't have to be limited to the troupe, though they will likely be the primary focus. Send in your thoughts!

The Reader Wishlist topic stays the same this update: **which love poems would you like to see included in the story?** The chapter involving these poems will be posted this Thursday, so send in poem names, favorite lines or favorite stanzas before then!

The next update will be on Thursday as usual!

So, onto the next chapter-in which Kotoko has a date with a certain prince!

 **Recurring OCs for this chapter:** Master Fortier-A lawyer who has taken Kotoko on as an apprentice.

* * *

"Well, I'm glad to hear that the twins' competition came to a mostly uneventful end," Ryoji proclaimed.

The king and his daughter were having afternoon tea in the monarch's chambers. Haruhi had just told him of the twins' misadventures and subsequent competition. The king took a sip of his tea with a smile.

"I'm actually quite upset that I missed the competition. But, I suppose I can't see everything that goes on in this castle," he said.

"Hopefully, this will be the last time something like this happens," Haruhi said. "I think both of them realized how silly their entire argument was."

"Excellent. I would hate to have anyone feuding in this castle."

A knock came at the chamber door.

"Come in," Ryoji called.

Mei entered the room and bobbed into a curtsey. "Good afternoon, Majesty."

"Hello Mei! What brings you to this end of the castle?" the king asked.

"Haruhi, Majesty. She was supposed to have a dress fitting a half hour ago." As Mei spoke, Haruhi winced. Ryoji restrained a laugh. Apparently, the princess had hoped to avoid this task.

"Sorry Mei," Haruhi said. "I completely forgot. Can you give me five minutes? I can finish my tea and come with you after that."

"Of course." Mei's smile carried the slightest hint of annoyance. "I'll be waiting for you outside."

With that, Mei curtseyed again and stepped out of the chambers.

"That's unusual for you—forgetting something like that," Ryoji commented.

Haruhi stared into her cup. "I was hoping that she would forget."

Ryoji laughed. "Oh, why would you want that?"

"She's making all sorts of ball gown designs for my birthday. This early!"

"Your birthday is in a couple of months. I'm sure she wants you to have plenty of dresses to choose from."

Haruhi sighed. "Do we have to have a big ball? I just don't see the point of it…"

"The point? The point is that you only turn eighteen once! I won't have my little girl going without a party to celebrate a milestone like this," Ryoji declared.

Haruhi nodded halfheartedly.

"Besides, it would be good for the court's morale," the king added in a quieter tone.

"Well, I guess if it helps the court, then I can't refuse."

"I promise you'll enjoy it. I may even bring in _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ for their suggestions. They seem to know what amuses you," Ryoji said.

"Ha, be careful there. They'll have the entire castle turned into a carnival."

"Hmm, that might be an idea."

"Oh no, forget I said anything!"

At that, the king and the princess both laughed. Haruhi finished her tea and hugged her father before leaving the room.

In the ensuing silence, Ryoji swirled the dregs of his tea about in the cup. Of course Haruhi hadn't forgotten about the dress fitting. She had an almost perfect memory. Just like her mother.

He cast a gaze towards Kotoko's shrine and frowned. It looked so dim—he needed to let some light in. So, he crossed to one side of the room and threw open the curtains. After a moment, he flung open the window as well. A cold gust of air blew in. The chirping of birds and the distant chiming of the clock tower drifted to him. He smiled at the weak sunlight glittering on the disappearing ice as his thoughts wandered to his wife and her _almost_ perfect memory.

#

In an uncharacteristic mental slip, Kotoko nearly forgot about her meeting with Prince Ryoji.

Master Fortier had graciously given Kotoko every weekend off from her apprenticeship. But, during her first two days of work, Kotoko had noticed that the lawyer seemed to be lost in chaotic stacks of papers. He had repeatedly remarked on his inability to find any important files since the retirement of his clerk. So, she had offered to organize the papers on Saturday morning. Master Fortier had protested, but Kotoko insisted and eventually won out.

While the organizing work was repetitive, Kotoko found it strangely comforting. She separated the papers and quickly worked out a simple filing system. She became so lost in the work that she didn't realize that hours had passed until Master Fortier poked his head in the back room.

"My, you've gotten a great deal done. But you must take a break. It's already a quarter past noon!"

Kotoko snapped up straight. A reminder darted forward in her mind. She had planned another engagement at noon.

She was late for her meeting with the prince!

In a hurried flurry, Kotoko explained that she had forgotten about another engagement and asked if she could complete her work tomorrow. Master Fortier staunchly refused her offer, saying that she needed at least one day off. He promised that she could work on the system on Monday morning and stated that a prior commitment took precedence over work that she had volunteered. With that blessing, she rushed out of the law firm and towards the city clock tower.

The square surrounding the clock tower was crowded with people as usual. Kotoko slipped and dodged through the multitude, wondering how Ryoji would ever find her in this mass of people. She made her way towards the clock tower, an eye on a small clearing of space. Once she had space to breathe, she stood on her toes and looked through the crowd.

"Well, it's very lucky I can recognize you by your cap!"

Kotoko turned to find Ryoji grinning at her. This time, the prince was dressed in a simple shirt and trousers much more suited to a laborer.

"Now, I said I wouldn't wear a disguise, but look what I find!" he exclaimed. "I suppose this is why you accepted my disguise so easily. You look just like a boy!"

With a sinking feeling, Kotoko glanced down at herself. She was still dressed in her apprentice outfit.

"I—um—I can explain," she mumbled.

"Oh, there's no reason to look so upset! I don't care what you choose to wear. But, if there is an explanation, I would very much like to hear it."

He offered her his arm, the brilliant grin still at his lips.

Kotoko hesitated. "Won't people think it's strange?"

"Yes. But neither one of us should be recognized by anyone. Let's give them something to gossip about."

So Kotoko took his arm and the two set off across the square.

"I'm sorry I'm so late. I got caught up in some work," she began.

"Don't fret over it, I understand being busy! But I assume this work has something to do with the explanation behind this outfit?"

"Yes, Highness—"

"Please! No formalities! They make everything so difficult! Call me Ryoji—or Ryo if you're so inclined," he added, a slightly devilish glint in his eye.

Kotoko smiled. "Then, yes, Ryoji, you're correct. I'm actually apprenticed to Master Fortier."

"The lawyer?"

"Yes."

"Good gracious! I didn't realize I was escorting one of the most beautiful _and_ brilliant women in Shikanai."

Kotoko felt a blush rising to her cheeks. "I—um—thank you."

"You're very welcome." He looked over her outfit again and sighed. "You know, it is a shame that you have to resort to such measures to be an apprentice. The laws are absolutely ridiculous."

She glanced up at him in surprise. "You know about those laws?"

"Yes. I try to keep up with everything that goes on in our legal system. I've actually argued with my father over some of it. But he's such an ignorant traditionalist…"

"I suppose you want to change the laws when you become king?"

"Definitely. There are a number of things I want to change. In fact, I'm not sure that there's much I would like to leave the same! But, I will have to wait for my turn," Ryoji muttered.

Sensing she was approaching a sensitive topic, Kotoko attempted to find something to change the subject. She racked her brain until they turned into a side street and a movement caught her eye. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Ryoji asked.

She paused and surveyed the street, then shrugged. "I suppose it was nothing."

Yet as they walked, Kotoko continued to notice flashes of rapid movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned back to see a stocky figure dodging behind a rain barrel. Her head tilted to one side.

"What is it?" Ryoji asked.

"That man—the one who just hid behind the barrel—I recognize him. I think he's following us."

Ryoji looked over his shoulder, then laughed. "Ah, you're talking about Misuzu. He's the one who was looking for me when we met in front of the chestnut merchant. He decided to come along today as a bodyguard and a scout. But, he didn't want you to see him. Said he wanted to be discreet. That he didn't want to ruin our time together."

"Is that why he's acting so…strangely?" Kotoko glanced back again to see the end of someone's leg sticking out of a pile of hay.

"Yes. I'm afraid discretion has never been his strong point." Ryoji shook his head with a chuckle. "But, with that mystery solved, we have another to attend to. I can't imagine that you want to spend the afternoon wandering around the city. So, what would you like to do?"

"Oh, well…I didn't exactly have anything in mind. Did you?"

"Well, if you don't have any suggestions…" Ryoji trailed off. "Do you mind if we visit a tavern for lunch?"

#

Their search eventually led them to a crowded pub tucked away in a corner formed by two narrow alleys. As soon as the door opened, the heavenly scent of roasting meat and simmering stew met them. After ordering drinks and food, they took a table at the edge of the room.

They ate while Ryoji asked about her apprenticeship with Master Fortier, about her friends and her hobbies. But halfway through one of her answers, he held up a hand.

"Hold on, just a moment."

As Kotoko paused, Ryoji leaned back in his chair, obviously listening to the conversation at the table behind them. He nodded.

"I thought as much," he said. At her curious expression, he added, "the gentlemen behind us were discussing some of the new tariffs. It's apparently helped some of the kingdom's industries, but certain raw materials are becoming too expensive to import. Those items should have exemptions placed on them. It would make things run much more smoothly—why are you looking at me like that?"

"I just think it's funny!"

Ryoji hung his head, but it didn't conceal the smile at his lips. "I'm sorry, I get too caught up in things like that. I always try to find out how the laws are affecting normal folk. You'd be amazed at what you can overhear at a pub. But, I never get to come in these types of places. A single man or a single woman draws too much attention."

"Why don't you come with Misuzu?"

"I couldn't do that. He hates pubs. Thinks they're dirty."

Kotoko looked through the crowd and over to Ryoji's self-proclaimed body guard. He did indeed look absolutely miserable as he sat at a table devoid of food or drink. "Oh, I see."

"On that note, would you like another drink? It looks as if things have cleared up a bit," Ryoji said, nodding towards the bar.

"Oh no, I'm fine."

"Very well. But I think I'll have another—even if it is just an excuse for me to hear the barkeep's gossip." Ryoji stood from the table.

"What? Aren't you worried he'll recognize you?" Kotoko asked.

"Oh, don't worry. No one will ever recognize me with this," Ryoji said as he flicked a finger over the golden brown stubble on his cheek.

And so Kotoko waited as Ryoji sauntered over to the bar. She closed her eyes and let the surrounding conversations wash over her until the door jingled and everyone suddenly hushed.

Three palace guards strode into the pub. Kotoko glanced to where Ryoji had been, but the disguised prince had disappeared.

The guards made their way to the bar and spoke to the barkeeper. She froze as she heard them ask something about "His Highness."

"I do believe it's time for us to go." Ryoji popped up at the table, seemingly out of nowhere.

Kotoko gaped at him. "How did you get here? Those guards—"

"Yes, I know. They're looking for me. Which is why we have to be prepared to move very quickly," Ryoji explained.

She began to rise from the table, but he stopped her. "Not yet."

"Excuse me!" Someone called from a corner of the pub. "May I ask what the king's men are doing in a place like this?"

The crowd parted to allow Misuzu to swagger over to the guards. Upon seeing him, the head guard's expression eased.

"Ah, Misuzu. Perhaps you can help us. We're looking for Prince Ryoji."

"Ryo's gone again?" Misuzu slurred. "Can't imagine where he woulda gone!"

Kotoko bit back a laugh. Misuzu's drunk impression was excellent.

Misuzu staggered over to the guards and threw his arms around the shoulders of two of them. "Ya know, I think I can help you. We can look for 'im together. But first, a drink!"

"Captain, we really should—" the youngest guard began.

"Nonsense. If Misuzu wants us to have a drink, we'll have a drink and celebrate this rare occasion!" the guard captain exclaimed.

As the guards turned to the bar, Ryoji ushered Kotoko out of the tavern. They quickly made their way down an alley and into one of the more crowded streets.

"Well, that was close," Ryoji said.

"It was—" The person in front of Kotoko stopped abruptly and she slammed into them. The man turned around.

"Oh, sorry lad."

"It's no problem," Kotoko replied. But as she looked at the man, she realized that he was wearing the uniform of a palace guard. Her eyes widened as the man looked to her companion.

"Highness!" the man exclaimed.

"Run!" Ryoji cried as he grabbed Kotoko's arm. The two scrambled through the swarm of people, most of who were still trying to figure out what was going on. Yet the guard crashed through the confused mass, shouting for reinforcements.

Ryoji and Kotoko sprinted back into the maze of alleys, hoping to lose their pursuer along the narrow ways. They ran until the shops had become rows of houses and the alleys had emptied of people.

"Just a bit…further!" Ryoji panted. "This…next…alley! I think…we'll be safe!"

However, their plan swiftly unravelled. Someone had just thrown out water used for their laundry. And in this water, the owner had forgotten a bar of soap.

Ryoji stepped squarely on the soap. He gasped as his momentum sent him sliding down the alleyway. Kotoko watched in horror as he skidded down the cobblestones and fell forward onto his hands and knees.

"Ugh…" he groaned as she rushed over to him.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"I think so."

She helped him stand and noted, "You're bleeding."

He examined his skinned palms and sighed as he saw the rip in the knee of his trousers. "And I was fond of these trousers too…"

"Here, I think we're close to my house. I can at least help you clean up those spots," Kotoko offered. "I would try to mend that rip, but I'm afraid I'm not a very good seamstress."

At this admission, Ryoji let out a loud laugh. "Ah, so she has weak points! I would have never imagined!"

His good humor was infectious and they wound up alternately laughing and smiling all the way to Kotoko's house.

#

"That stings!" Ryoji complained as Kotoko dabbed at his injured knee with a handkerchief soaked in ointment.

"Don't fidget so much! It'll stop in a second."

He sighed as she pushed the leg of his trouser up to wind a bandage around his knee. "That's not too tight is it?" she asked.

"It's fine."

"Good." Kotoko went to bandage his hands.

"Well, you certainly seem to be an excellent nurse. I imagine you've had experience fixing up younger brothers and sisters," Ryoji said.

"Actually, I don't have any siblings."

Ryoji cast a glance around at the house. "Oh. What about your mother?"

"She lives a couple of doors down and visits a lot. We had dinner together a couple of nights ago."

"And…your father?"

Kotoko tied the bandage on his right hand with a sad smile. "He passed away a few years ago."

A cloud passed over Ryoji's face. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to go bumbling into a painful topic."

"It's fine. You didn't know."

For a moment, silence pervaded. Then, Kotoko said, "You know, we've been talking for hours, but I've hardly heard you talk about yourself."

"Oh, well, I suppose I don't think I'm that interesting," Ryoji confessed. "But if you're curious, I'm an open book. Ask away!"

"Why did you decide to wear a dress as a disguise?"

Ryoji chuckled. "In all honesty, I originally used it as the easiest way to get out of the castle. After all, who would expect me to dress like a woman? But I've come to enjoy it. Hence taking on Ranka as my 'street name.'"

"How long have you been doing it?"

"A few years."

And so they continued on this line of questioning as Kotoko finished bandaging his other hand. Even after she completed her task, they didn't stop talking until the faint bells of the city clock tower struck four o'clock.

"As much as I wish I could stay, I probably should get back to the castle," Ryoji said with a sigh.

"Do you think you'll be okay without your bodyguard?" Kotoko asked as he rose from his seat.

"I'm sure I will be." He paused before she could open the front door for him. "I'd…I'd like to do this again."

In that moment, Kotoko forgot that she had ever thought of him as naive or silly. She simply replied, "I'd like that too."

Ryoji beamed. "Wonderful! Next week?"

She nodded. "Meet at the clock tower again?"

"Absolutely!"

Apparently caught up in his glee, he leaned forward and gave her a brief kiss. She reddened instantly at this unexpected display of affection.

Seeing her reaction, Ryoji chuckled anxiously. "Was that too bold? I'm sorry, I've let my emotions run away with me!"

"No, no—it was just…surprising," Kotoko said.

"In that case, I really should go before I do make a fool out of myself. Until next time, then?"

"Of course." Kotoko began to open the door. But before Ryoji stepped out, she said, "Oh, and Ryoji?"

"Yes?"

"Next time, let's try not to run into the castle's guards."

Ryoji burst out laughing. "Agreed!"

They exchanged one last smile and Ryoji headed out the door. Kotoko stood in the doorframe and watched until the prince of Ichio disappeared around the corner of the next street.

" _He's even more charming than I expected,"_ She thought. " _Oh, what on earth have I gotten myself into?"_

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Princess Haruhi!" Kirimi's clear voice chimed out and the girl came skipping down the rows of bookshelves. She curtseyed to Haruhi. "Would you like me to tell your fortune?"**_

 _ **Haruhi's head tilted to one side, a curious smile coming to her lips. "How are you going to do that?"**_

 _ **Kirimi held up a diamond shaped paper object with pride. "With my paper fortune teller! My brother made it for me! He said that it's enchanted so it can actually tell people's fortunes."**_

 _ **Mei and Haruhi exchanged a good-natured skeptical glance. Mei said, "Well, can it tell bad fortunes for people?"**_

 _ **"Oh no! Nekozawa said that it only tells good fortunes."**_

 _ **"Alright. Do you mind if I try it first before Princess Haruhi? That way you can practice with me," Mei offered.**_

 _ **"Okay! Pick a color!" Kirimi offered the toy up.**_


	47. Chapter 47: Poems and Fortunes

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well. Review responses kick us off as usual!

 **DiamondSparkle42:** So glad you're looking forward to this chapter! I hope you like it!

 **QueenRainbow:** Thank you! And thank you for the suggestion, I've made a note of it!

 **tmwillson3:** Yep, the 18th century equivalent of a banana peel had to make it in there somewhere! I'm happy to hear that you liked it so much. And all of those suggestions sound great! I'll keep all of them in mind!

 **MagicQuill42:** Sweet was exactly what I was aiming for! And don't fret over the poems-get them to me when you can. I may have use for them in later chapters!

 **lillyannp:** Thank you! As for Haruhi's fortune...read on!

 **Penstar1331:** Thank you so much! So happy to hear that you're enjoying Kotoko and Ryoji's arc. And excellent suggestion-I'll file it away! Great to hear from you again!

 **swimmer1102:** Another vote for sledding-I'll keep it mind! I hope you enjoy this chapter too!

The reader question stays the same for this update! Shikanai is due for a bit of snow soon and I'd like to know: **what snow-day activities would you all like to see included in the chapter?** Send in your thoughts!

It's Thursday, so the Reader Wishlist topic is up for a change! This week I'd like to discuss... **Kasanoda!** I know some reviewers have already made a few suggestions regarding our bandit-turned-gardener, but he does have an arc coming up very soon and I'd like to get everyone's opinions! If you have head-canons, scenarios or even hijinks that you would like to see involving Kasanoda, send them in!

The next update will be on Monday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which poems are read and fortunes are told!

* * *

Just when the residents of Shikanai thought the sun would stay out long enough to melt the ice covering the city, a drove of clouds drifted in from the north and blotted out the feeble rays of sunlight. But sick of confinement, the majority of the city and castle residents stubbornly went about as if all the ice had gone.

However, under Yuko's advisement, Princess Haruhi was expected to stay indoors. Usually, this wouldn't have been an issue. But Haruhi's voracious appetite for books meant that her preferred choices in the castle library were rapidly dwindling away.

Haruhi cast a despairing look at the shelf before her. _"I've read that one. And that one. Oh, wait—did I—no, I read that two weeks ago. I still remember how that one ended…Rereading that one won't be as interesting…What I would give for new books!"_ she thought.

She sighed and trudged back to the table that Mei was sitting at.

"I can't even find anything to read…I have been inside for too long," Haruhi mumbled. "I don't know what to do…"

"You can't have read _every_ book in this library!" Mei exclaimed.

"I've read all of the ones I find interesting."

Mei snapped her fingers. "Wait. I think I have something you can read."

She hurried over to a set of bookshelves that Haruhi hardly ever visited and retrieved a thick leather bound volume. Triumphantly, she placed it on the table in front of Haruhi.

Haruhi took one look at the title and groaned. "Love poems? Really, Mei?"

"Oh, just give them a chance! They're beautiful."

So the princess flicked open the book and began reading. Halfway through one of the poems, she sighed and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Mei, these are silly. They don't even make any sense. Like this one: ' _Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine; Or leave a kiss but in the cup, And I'll not look for wine.'_ "

"Don't be so concrete! Think of it metaphorically. The poet is pining after his lady," Mei chided.

Haruhi flipped to another poem. "' _Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove._ ' Alters when alteration finds? Remover to remove? What on earth is the poet talking about?"

"The nature of love of course! You can't really love someone if you want to change them. Surely you understand that," Mei said.

"Hmm…" Haruhi muttered, turning to another poem. "Oh, now this one is hands down the most ridiculous one I've seen! ' _If they be two, they are two so As stiff twin compasses are two; Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show To move, but doth, if the other do.'_ "

Mei clasped her hands together with a sigh. "' _And though it in the center sit, Yet when the other far doth roam, It leans and hearkens after it, And grows erect, as that comes home.'_ That one is my favorite! It's about how two lovers separated by distance are still connected through their love for each other. It's such a sweet sentiment."

Haruhi closed the book, shaking her head. "I'm sorry Mei. I don't get these poems. They're just flowery phrases to me."

Mei snorted and crossed her arms. "Oh, just you wait. You're going to fall in love one day and suddenly, they're all going to make sense."

"What makes you so sure of that?"

"Some people, like me, are romantic and understand love poems no matter what. But _everyone_ understands love poems when they're in love."

"Whatever you say…"

The door to the library soon opened and light footsteps echoed through the room.

"Princess Haruhi!" Kirimi's clear voice chimed out and the girl came skipping down the rows of bookshelves. She curtseyed to Haruhi. "Would you like me to tell your fortune?"

Haruhi's head tilted to one side, a curious smile coming to her lips. "How are you going to do that?"

Kirimi held up a diamond shaped paper object with pride. "With my paper fortune teller! My brother made it for me! He said that it's enchanted so it can actually tell people's fortunes."

Mei and Haruhi exchanged a good-natured skeptical glance. Mei said, "Well, can it tell bad fortunes for people?"

"Oh no! Nekozawa said that it only tells good fortunes."

"Alright. Do you mind if I try it first before Princess Haruhi? That way you can practice with me," Mei offered.

"Okay! Pick a color!" Kirimi offered the toy up.

"Um…red."

"R-E-D," Kirimi spelled out as she opened and closed the fortune teller. "Now pick a number!"

"Three."

"One, Two, Three. Pick another number."

"Uh…eight."

Kirimi opened the flap and read, "You will find understanding from a surprising source."

Mei snorted. "Well, that _would_ be surprising, no matter what source it came from."

"Highness, will you try?" Kirimi asked, her eyes shining with glee.

"Of course," Haruhi said.

"Pick a color!"

"Blue."

"B-L-U-E. Now pick a number!"

"Five."

"One, two, three, four, five. Pick another number."

"Seven."

Kirimi opened the other flap. "You will have the hearts of many."

"That's an…interesting one," Haruhi said.

"But I suppose it is true. Since you're the princess and going to be a queen, you'd have the hearts of your people," Mei said.

"See, I knew my brother was telling the truth!" Kirimi exclaimed.

"Why don't I tell your fortune, Kirimi?" Haruhi asked.

The little girl's eyes lit. "Oh, would you?"

"If you can show me how to use it."

"It's easy! You just stick your fingers in here and open and close it," Kirimi said, demonstrating once before handing the fortune teller to the princess.

Haruhi practiced a couple of times before saying, "Okay, what color?"

"Purple!"

"P-U-R-P-L-E. Number?"

"Six!"

"One, two, three, four, five, six. And another number."

"Two!"

Haruhi opened the flap and read, "All your future hopes will be fulfilled."

"Oh goody! I hoped I would get one like that!" Kirimi exclaimed.

"Can you not tell your own fortune?" Mei asked.

"Nekozawa said it would only work if someone else told the fortune." Kirimi said as Haruhi returned the fortune teller to her.

Apparently drawn by all of this noise in the library, Kazukiyo and Momoka poked their heads around the corner of one of the shelves.

"Ah, Highness! We thought we heard you," Momoka said.

"Momoka, Kazukiyo, how are you?" Haruhi asked as the two courtiers joined the table.

"We're doing well. Just trying to stay warm," Momoka joked.

"Kirimi, what do you have there?" Kazukiyo asked, noticing the fortune teller.

Seeing an opportunity to tell another fortune, Kirimi beamed. "It's a fortune teller Nekozawa made for me! Would you like me to tell your fortune?"

Kazukiyo paled a bit. "Er…well…"

"Don't worry, it only tells good fortunes," Kirimi assured him.

"Then…I guess so," Kazukiyo agreed hesitantly.

"Which color do you like best?" Kirimi asked.

"Yellow."

"Y-E-L-L-O-W. Now pick a number."

"Two."

"One, two. Now another number."

"Eight."

Mei and Haruhi glanced at each other expectantly as Kirimi opened the flap. But their mouths dropped open as the girl read, "You will have great success in your work."

"Oh, that is a good fortune," Kazukiyo remarked.

"Kirimi, I thought Mei chose that number earlier," Haruhi said.

"She did, Highness."

"Are you sure the fortune is right?" Mei asked, looking over Kirimi's shoulder. But the fortune did read as Kirimi said.

"What? How can that be? It could only have eight fortunes…Can I open another flap?" Mei asked.

Kirimi held the fortune teller out and Mei opened a flap. She gasped.

The flap was blank.

"What?"

"My brother said that the fortune teller wouldn't work unless you played the game. I guess that's what he meant!" Kirimi said with a smile.

Kazukiyo let out a nervous laugh. "Well I suppose it's a good thing it only tells good fortunes!"

"Oh, let me try, Kirimi!" Momoka, undeterred by the apparent magic of the fortune teller, leaned over eagerly.

After choosing blue, one and seven, Kirimi read: "You will receive an unexpected confession of affection."

"My, that is quite a fortune." Momoka giggled and blushed. Haruhi and Mei tried not to smile as they watched Kazukiyo redden next to her.

They heard the door to the library open and evenly paced footsteps rang out. "Highness? Are you in here? Highness?"

"That's Yuko!" Haruhi declared under her breath.

"Quick, give me the fortune teller, we have to hide it!" Mei hissed. Kirimi pressed the fortune teller into her hands. Mei hid it in the skirts of her dress just as Yuko rounded the corner.

"There you are, Highness," the king's second advisor said. "I suppose you didn't hear me calling."

"I'm afraid I didn't," Haruhi replied.

"Ah, what are you reading?" Yuko picked up the book of love poems. "Love poems? Excellent choice, Highness."

Haruhi couldn't bring herself to respond.

Yuko cast a chilly smile over the group. "Please, carry on."

Without another word, the advisor walked to another set of shelves. She selected a book from the shelf and exited the library soon after. The moment the door shut, Kazukiyo exclaimed, "Oh, she's colder than today's weather!"

"Agreed," Momoka said.

Haruhi pushed the book of poems over to Mei with a disgusted look. "That settles it. If Yuko approves, then I'm not reading any more of them."

Mei's nose wrinkled in distaste as she looked at the book. "After that, I may not either."

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Kirimi, what's wrong?"**_

 _ **"Oh, Haruhi!" Kirimi wailed. She flung herself into the older girl's arms. "I lost the fortune teller big brother gave me!"**_

 _ **"Oh no. That's not good. But is it something you need to be so upset about?"**_

 _ **"Yes! He worked really hard on it for me and he's going to be really sad if he finds out that I lost it!"**_

 _ **"Ah, I see. Have you looked in all the places you visited today?"**_

 _ **"I did! I looked everywhere and I can't find it!"**_

Oh dear. Poor Kirimi. Will the fortune teller be found? Check back Monday to find out!


	48. Chapter 48: Lost and Found

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first as usual!

 **QueenRainbow:** Haha, I thought I'd have at least one reader solidly in Haruhi's camp. But I'm very glad you enjoyed the chapter! And I promise there aren't any love poems in this chapter!

 **tmwillson3:** I'm usually not a huge reader when it comes to love poems, but I did enjoy those choices. Thank you for the suggestions! And there is plenty more in this chapter with Kirimi. I'm hoping to work her in a good bit more in the following chapters. I've noted your suggestions for Kasanoda and can already tell you there will be plenty of garden hijinks to come!

 **MagicQuill42:** I'm so happy you enjoyed it! I think you'll like this chapter too if you're looking forward to fluff!

 **Sheepgirl418:** Go ahead and hate her! If you dislike her that much, that means I've written her well! And thank you very much for the compliment!

 **lillyannp:** Ah, the answer your first question will come...eventually! As for the second, read on!

 **Penstar1331:** Glad you enjoyed the last chapter! And your predictions might have sparked some ideas for me...Hope you enjoy this chapter too!

So, the reader question is a bit of a spin-off of last week's question. Since we have a snow day coming up, **which secondary characters would you like to see included in the snow day chapter?** Will Mei be fussing about her dress getting damp? Will Kazukiyo be pulled into a snowball fight? And what will our bandit-turned-gardener think of this frozen white stuff? Send in your thoughts!

The Reader Wishlist topic is still **Kasanoda!** His arc will start in Chapter 51 after another chapter with Kotoko and Ryoji in Chapter 50. I'd love to know your scenarios/headcanons, so please send them in!

The next update will be on Thursday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a fortune teller is lost and a certain princess must seek it out.

* * *

As night fell in Shikanai, a collection of clouds outside the northern gates of the city amassed into a bundle of electrified storming fury. While the residents of the city retired for the night, the storm trudged on towards the castle at the southern end of the city.

A distant boom met Haruhi's ears as she finished another chapter of her book. She flinched, then shook her head.

" _It was just a door slamming somewhere in the castle. It's not thunder,"_ she thought. Often, little lies like this managed to get her through stormy nights. Yet as she read, another sound came to her. She listened for a moment, frowned, then threw off her bedclothes and headed for the living quarters of her chambers.

When she reached the sitting room, Haruhi heard a soft weeping from the hall outside. She stepped out into the corridor and found Kirimi sobbing in a nearby alcove.

"Kirimi, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Haruhi!" Kirimi wailed. She flung herself into the older girl's arms. "I lost the fortune teller Nekozawa gave me!"

"Oh no. That's not good. But is it something you need to be so upset about?"

"Yes! He worked really hard on it for me and he's going to be really sad if he finds out that I lost it!"

"Ah, I see. Have you looked in all the places you visited today?"

"I did! I looked everywhere and I can't find it!"

Haruhi sighed as Kirimi's shoulders convulsed with sobs. "Well, maybe you need a second set of eyes to look for it. People do miss things when they get upset. Where is the last place you remember having it?"

"I was playing hide and seek with Nekozawa and I hid near the north wing. But then Antoinette found me and she wanted to play,"

Haruhi nodded. "Okay, then how about this: I will go look for your fortune teller there. Then, if I don't find it, you and I will retrace your steps tomorrow morning until we find it. Does that sound okay?"

Kirimi stared at her with teary eyes. "That…That sounds good…"

Haruhi smiled at her junior lady-in-waiting. "I promise we'll find it. Now, come with me. You can sleep on the chaise in the sitting room tonight."

"I'd like that," Kirimi said with a sniffle.

So Haruhi led her into the sitting room and piled pillows onto the chaise. The princess pulled a wool blanket and a quilt Mei had stitched together from scrap dress material from a chest and draped them over the little girl.

Kirimi tucked the covers under her chin and said, "Haruhi…my brother says that sometimes the good fairies find lost objects and bring them back to people. Do you think they would bring back my fortune teller?"

"Maybe. But I think you'll have to go to sleep for them to bring it back."

"Right…" Kirimi murmured with an exhausted half-nod.

Seeing that her charge would be off in dreamland soon, Haruhi took up the enchanted lantern Kyoya had gifted her with shortly after the ghost hunt and set off towards the north wing.

As she made her way through the dim corridors by the lantern's bluish light, another muted boom split the air. Haruhi started, then took a deep breath and counted to ten. She wanted to turn back. But, Kirimi was counting on her…

Out of the blue, a bit of advice her mother had given her years ago came to her.

"' _Courage, Haruhi, is the most important thing a monarch can have. Because when a court is in need, a monarch must act for the good of the court, no matter how afraid they are.'"_

At this thought, Haruhi gathered her nerve and continued for the north wing.

#

"Antoinette! Antoinette, where are you?" Tamaki called out for the golden dog yet again, then shook his head with a sigh. Antoinette typically spent nights in the Great Hall with the troupe. Yet for the last two nights, the pup had been absent. When she turned up absent from the Great Hall again that night, Tamaki decided to find her new nightly lodgings. So far, he had circled about the southern and eastern sides of the castle on two floors.

The storm's full fury assaulted the castle just as he came to the north wing. He frowned.

" _I hope Antoinette isn't afraid of storms…It would be terrible if she was alone."_ He thought.

A flash of lightning illuminated the hall in white brilliance. As it did, Tamaki spotted a small white object on the floor. He edged forward carefully and stooped to pick it up. In the darkness, squinting to make out what the object was proved to be useless. So he waited for another flash of lightning. The next burst of light revealed that the thing was a paper toy of some sort. A great deal of effort had to have gone into folding the toy, so Tamaki held it as he meandered on further into the wing.

"Antoinette! Are you here, girl? Here puppy!" he called as he rounded the corner into the corridor filled with ruined furniture. He thought he heard something shift about in the blackness. "Antoinette! Here girl!"

A roar of thunder drowned out his call. A blast of lightning followed soon after. This time, Tamaki was sure he heard something move.

"Hello? Is someone there?" he asked. He picked through the junk littering the hall and soon saw a dim blue glow down the corridor. For a moment, he wondered if Queen Mizuki's ghost had returned to visit him. But when he reached the light, he realized that it was coming from one of the enchanted lanterns Kyoya had made for the ghost hunt. He gave the lantern a few shakes and the glow brightened to its full strength. Even with this added illumination, he saw no evidence of the lantern's owner.

"Hello? No need to be shy—it's only me, Tamaki," he announced. No response. But a crash of thunder exploded right above the wing and Tamaki heard a distinctly feminine shriek underneath the sound.

"I heard you that time, my lady," he declared. "Are you afraid of the storm?"

Another thunder clap and another panicked whimper ghosted out from the ruined wardrobe nearby. Tamaki approached the armoire. "My lady, it seems like it would be scarier in a dark place like that. Please, come out and I can escort you wherever you would like me to."

He reached for the handle of the wardrobe, but found it locked. A voice replied to his action from within: "Don't open it! It's easier like this! I'm fine!"

At the voice, Tamaki's mouth dropped open. "Hi—Highness? Is that you?"

"Yes. Now please leave the wardrobe alone."

"You're afraid of thunder and lightning, Highness?"

"Please go. I can handle everything."

"Highness, why are you even in this part of the castle this late?"

"I was looking for Kirimi's—" A clap of thunder cut her off in a scream mid-sentence. She recovered and finished, "Kirimi's fortune teller."

Tamaki glanced at the paper toy in his hand. "Oh—I think I've found it. It's a paper toy?"

"Yes! Oh good. She'll be so happy." Relief flooded every syllable. "In that case, please leave it on the floor. I'll return it to her."

"Highness, how will you return it to her if you're in that wardrobe?"

"I'll manage it. I've always done this by myself," Haruhi's voice replied.

Tamaki blinked. "By yourself?"

Suddenly, it dawned on him.

His father had always told him that a monarch's greatest enemy was fear. A court could tolerate seeing rage, anguish and even disgust from their leader. But the moment the court saw fear in the person they relied upon most, everything would disintegrate into chaos. So, a monarch had to maintain an aura of fearlessness in spite of petrifying internal terror. Surely Haruhi had been taught the same.

So, he summoned up _his_ courage and made one last appeal. "Haruhi, it's fine if you're afraid. I understand. After all, you're human. I'm not like your courtiers. You don't have to try to be brave in front of me. I know what it's like to hide your fear from people too."

"How would you know?"

Tamaki smiled slightly, thinking back to the first time he had appeared in front of his court. He had been terrified by the multitudes of faces in front of him as he sat on the throne alone. Thus, he spun this into a story to match his "commoner" disguise. "The first time I ever performed, I was scared stiff. But, there were people relying on me. I put on a brave face and went through with the performance even though I was afraid. Even though I ended up retching before the performance."

"You were…that afraid?"

"I was."

Silence followed, but the lock unlatched. Tamaki opened the doors and held out a hand. "I swear, Haruhi, you never have to pretend with me."

Lightning cracked followed by a blast of thunder. Haruhi sprang from the wardrobe and into Tamaki's open arms. He embraced her and murmured, "You'll never have to be alone again. I will always be here for you. I promise."

For a moment, he simply held her shivering form. There had to be a way he could help her. And with the next strike of lightning, an idea came to him.

When the storm seemed to have calmed, Tamaki took a step back and looked down at the princess. "Well, Highness, I think I need to escort you to your chambers. And I likely need to do so fairly quickly."

"Why?"

"Propriety, princess. It might not look right if you were discovered alone with a simple jester like me," Tamaki said.

Thunder rolled again and Haruhi clung to him. Yet, she managed to joke through chattering teeth: "Jest—jester? I—always thought—you said—you—were a king."

In the bluish light of the lantern, Tamaki's cheeks blazed with heat. However, he simply laughed it off. "You've quite the imagination, Highness. And some days, I very much wish that were true. But considering the reality of our situation, you need to return to your chambers."

And so Tamaki recovered the lantern and the fortune teller and escorted Haruhi back to her wing, shielding her from the violent sounds and sights of the storm. When they opened the door to the princess's chambers, Mei scrambled out into foyer.

"Haruhi! Oh I'm so sorry! I only just woke up! Where have you been? And what is Kirimi doing here?" The lady-in-waiting whisked a blanket around the princess's shoulders.

The princess seemed to have regained some composure, limiting herself to only a shiver when lightning lit up the room. She then explained, "Kirimi lost her fortune teller and I went to look for it. I wasn't expecting the storm. But Tamaki found me—and the fortune teller too."

Mei glanced up at Tamaki with a sigh. "Thank goodness you did. She's terrified of storms."

"I thought as much. Might I suggest a dark piece of cloth as a blindfold? And perhaps some cotton might muffle the sound?" he offered.

Mei blinked. "That would work. Why didn't I ever think of that? Haruhi, let's get you to your bedroom. I think I can cobble together something to help."

Before Mei led her away, Haruhi offered Tamaki a grateful smile. Tamaki smiled and bowed slightly to her as she disappeared into her bedroom. He crossed to the sitting room and laid the fortune teller on a table near Kirimi where she would be sure to find it. The lantern was placed on a side table and dimmed so it wouldn't disturb anyone. Then, Tamaki paused before the portrait of Queen Kotoko and Haruhi. He bowed deeply to the portrait and said, "I hope you will find me worthy of your daughter's trust."

At last, with one more fond glance about the room, Tamaki made his exit, hoping that the princess would have a peaceful night's sleep.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Tamaki, about last night—" Haruhi started.**_

 _ **"What about it, princess?" Tamaki grinned brilliantly at her. "Surely there's nothing to speak of. After all, I am just a jester."**_

 _ **Haruhi began to reply, but a white streak whizzed past her and struck Tamaki squarely in the face. Tamaki spluttered, spitting out snow as raucous cackles of laughter rang out. The king of the acting troupe glanced sharply at the source of the laughter and cried, "Kaoru! Hikaru! How dare you attack your king!"**_

 _ **"You make yourself an easy target, milord!" Kaoru exclaimed.**_

 _ **"Easy target? I'll show you an easy target!" Tamaki shouted.**_

It seems as if a snowball fight is imminent...What other snow hijinks are in store? Check back Thursday to find out!


	49. Chapter 49: First Snow

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses kick us off as usual!

 **MagicQuill42:** Haha, thank you-I was trying for cute!

 **lillyannp:** That's an excellent point about the snowball fight! I wasn't thinking along those lines when I wrote it, but I do see the similarities! Glad you enjoyed the chapter!

 **Penstar1331:** Glad to hear that you're enjoying it! And read on-the outcome of the fight might be a bit of a surprise!

 **tmwillson3:** I read the first part of your comment and proceeded to laugh way harder than I should have. Very good point. And there are plenty of snow shenanigans ahead!

 **QueenRainbow:** Thank you! I'm very happy you enjoyed the chapter! And thank you for the suggestion-I've tried to incorporate a few elements in the chapter where I could.

 **ananda . samsara** : For some strange reason, the document manager doesn't want to print your username correctly-hence the spaces. But thank you very much! I'm always so happy to hear from new readers! And I promise I will be consistent with updating-if there's any change to the schedule, I will always let you guys know! And yes, I agree-poor Tamaki! Thank you for the review!

So, because this chapter is the snow-day chapter, the reader question is up for a change! Haruhi's birthday is coming up...soon-ish. I want to know: **what birthday presents would you like to see the troupe give to her?** Presents in stories have always given me trouble, so I'd like to know what you guys think. Bonus points if you link a specific troupe member to their gift!

And since it's Thursday, the Reader Wishlist topic is up for a change. This week, the topic is... **Ranka!** Or Ryoji. Whichever way you would like to refer to His Majesty. The queen does make an appearance in this chapter, but I'd like to know what else would you guys like to see him involved in. Send in your thoughts!

Now, unfortunately, there is a schedule change for the next chapter. I have to take an important exam on Monday, meaning that most of my weekend will be spent studying/brushing up on my weak points for the test instead of writing. Also, while I have an idea of where the next chapter is going to go, I don't have it plotted out in detail. I really feel like I need a good amount of time to work on getting some minor points right. So, I have opted to skip Monday's update so that the next update is **next Thursday.** After that, we should be back to a normal Monday/Thursday schedule.

With that, onto the next chapter-in which there are a number of snow-day hijinks!

* * *

The morning after the storm, Kirimi burst into Haruhi's bedroom before the princess had risen from her bed.

"Princess Haruhi! Princess Haruhi!" She cried. "Did you find my fortune teller?"

"Huh?" Haruhi mumbled groggily. She sat up, pushing Mei's makeshift blindfold off her face. The cotton earplugs had already fallen out at some point during the night. "No…I didn't find it."

"Then the fairies brought it back to me! Nekozawa was right!" Kirimi declared gleefully.

Haruhi began to respond with the truth, but thought better of it when she saw Kirimi's delight. "That must have been what happened."

"I can't wait to tell him!" Kirimi clapped her hands together and pirouetted about the room. "Oh, Highness! Can I help you get ready this morning?"

"Of course. What does the weather look like today?"

Kirimi ran over to the heavy drapes covering the wide windows in the room. She flung them open, gasped, then exclaimed, "It's snowing!"

"What?" Haruhi jumped out of bed and rushed over to the window. The courtyard outside was covered in a sparkling white blanket of snow. A grin immediately came to Haruhi's lips. She dashed out into the sitting room, grabbing a robe as she went.

"Mei! Mei! It's snowing!" Haruhi shouted as she tugged on the robe.

Mei barged out of her room. "Ah! The first snow of the season!"

The lady-in-waiting and the princess dashed about the room, flinging open the curtains to get a better view of the snow. Yet as they did, they heard someone's far-away calls. They looked down to see a small group gathered in the courtyard below. Haruhi opened one of the windows and stuck her head out.

"Highness! Come out and play in the snow with us!" Honey called up to her.

Mei opened another window and leaned out. "We'll be right down!"

With that, Haruhi and Mei shut the windows and hurried to get ready.

As Haruhi, Mei and Kirimi made their way to the southern courtyard, they heard an argument coming from down the hallway.

"Majesty, are you absolutely sure about this?" they heard Yuko say.

"Please, Yuko! I'm not that fragile," Ranka replied. The queen emerged into the hall decked in a heavy wool coat and scarf. Yuko trailed behind him, looking dismayed.

"But Majesty, going outside the castle—"

Ranka fluttered one hand at her dismissively. "I'll only be outside the walls!"

The queen sighted the girls and smiled. "Going out to enjoy the snow then?"

The trio nodded.

"Excellent! All three of you can join me outside the castle walls! The courtyards are much too small to enjoy a day like this! Let's not waste another second of it!" Ranka exclaimed. With that, the queen marched out into the southern courtyard with the girls trailing behind him.

"Ah, Majesty, are you joining us today?" Kyoya asked as the group entered the courtyard. His words formed white puffs of smoke in the air.

"Rather _you_ will be joining me," Ranka chirped. He strode up to the guard standing beside the small gate leading outside the castle. "My good sir, open the gate!"

The guard's eyes widened. "Yes Majesty, of course!"

The gate opened to reveal a seemingly endless vista of white. Ranka stood beside the gate and waved them on. "Hurry! We won't have much time before the rest of the court figures out where we are!"

Kirimi let out a squeal of glee and scampered out of the gate. For a moment, the others watched her until Hikaru grinned devilishly and elbowed Kaoru. "Race you."

"You're on," Kaoru replied. The twins shot out of the gate.

"Wait for me!" Honey cried as he ran after them.

The rest of the troupe, Haruhi and Mei laughed as they went after their friends. Outside the castle walls, the world was unrecognizable save for a few white-capped rooftops of cottages in the distance. Haruhi walked about, an irresistible smile at her lips. The first snow of the year was always special mostly because—

"Haruhi! Come build a snowman with me!" Ranka called. Haruhi laughed, glad to see her father free of the restraints of the court, even if only for a moment. _This_ was why she loved the season's first snow.

As always, Ranka had procured all of the materials to dress their snowman. The first snowman of the year sported a brocade vest, a simply knotted cravat and a tricorn hat. Ranka dusted off his hands and surveyed the snowman with a critical eye.

"Hmmm…I think there's something a bit off here," he proclaimed.

Haruhi examined the snowman. He had the coal eyes and mouth and the carrot nose…What could be missing?

Ranka tilted the hat to angle it over the snowman's eyes. With this change, the snowman suddenly reminded Haruhi of Hikaru.

"There, perfect!" Ranka said. Yet as this detail fell into place, a hubbub of voices came from the direction of the gate. Ranka glanced up and chuckled. "Oh dear, here they come."

A line of courtiers and staff streamed out of the gate, chattering and giggling. Misuzu stood at the front of the group. The king's advisor shouted, "There you are! Were you hiding from us, Ranka?"

"Me? Hide? Never!" Ranka declared. He turned to his daughter. "Well, I suppose I should say hello to everyone. Have fun for me!"

The queen pulled the princess into a quick hug before shooing her off. As the queen went to greet his court, Haruhi meandered away and soon found Tamaki making snow angels with Kirimi.

"Highness! Come make a snow angel!" Kirimi said with a giggle.

'Um, I don't know—"

"Oh you should Highness!" Tamaki continued Kirimi's plea.

But something in the distance had caught Kirimi's attention. "A sled!"

Forgetting all talk of snow angels, Kirimi jumped up and sprinted over to Mori who carried a sled on one shoulder. Haruhi and Tamaki watched her dance around the taciturn troupe member with smiles.

"Oh, that reminds me," Haruhi said. "Kirimi thinks that fairies returned her fortune teller."

"Really?" Tamaki replied with a laugh. "Then I suppose I should find my wings and magic wand. But I'm glad I could help."

Haruhi paused for a brief moment before starting, "Tamaki, about last night—"

"What about it, princess?" Tamaki grinned brilliantly at her. "Surely there's nothing to speak of. After all, I am just a jester."

Haruhi began to reply, but a white streak whizzed past her and struck Tamaki squarely in the face. Tamaki spluttered, spitting out snow as raucous cackles of laughter rang out. The king of the acting troupe glanced sharply at the source of the laughter and cried, "Kaoru! Hikaru! How dare you attack your king!"

"You make yourself an easy target, milord!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"Easy target? I'll show you an easy target!" Tamaki shouted.

With that, Tamaki bounded over to the twins, a snowball in each hand. But both projectiles missed their intended targets and the twins began to laugh harder.

"Listen, milord, we'll make it a fair fight," Kaoru offered after a few more missed shots. "And I already have a prize in mind."

"What's that?" Tamaki asked.

"The winner gets to go sledding with Princess Haruhi," Kaoru said.

Tamaki's eyes narrowed. "Agreed!"

So the two parties dove to build their forts and a flurry of snowballs flew through the air. Yet before a winner could be determined, Kyoya strode over to watch the snowball fight.

"I'm afraid if one of you is interested in sledding with the princess, you're much too late," the illusionist said.

"What?" Hikaru asked. One of Tamaki's snowballs struck him on the side of the head as Kyoya pointed to a hill some ways away. On that hill, Haruhi was just getting onto a sled behind Honey.

Tamaki, Kaoru and Hikaru gaped. "How did he do that?"

The short blonde had done something that the other three hadn't thought of. He had simply asked the princess to join him on the sled. Honey turned back to Haruhi once she had settled onto the sled. "Ready, Highness?"

Haruhi nodded. "Ready!"

"Here we go!" Honey kicked the sled off and sent them hurtling down the hill to join Kirimi and Mori at the bottom. Mei, ready with the next sled, watched with a smile before turning to a rather pale Kasanoda.

"Oh, don't look so panicky! It's fun, I promise!" she assured him.

Kasanoda cast an anxious glance at the sled, then at the hill. "Okay…if you say so."

"You act like you've never seen snow!"

"I haven't," Kasanoda confessed. "It never snowed where I used to live."

"Then that's all the more reason to have fun!" Mei plonked the sled down and climbed onto it. She motioned for Kasanoda to join her. "Climb on and hold on to me."

Kasanoda swallowed, but did as he was asked.

"Ready?"

"Uh, um—I guess so."

Mei kicked the sled off and they plummeted down the hill with Kasanoda restraining a scream. But unlike Honey and Haruhi's easy stop, Mei and Kasanoda's sled hit a snow ridge. The bump sent Kasanoda flying from the sled and face-first into the nearest snowbank.

"Cassanova!" Mei cried, running over to him. "Are you okay?"

Kasanoda sat up, the snow forming frosty eyebrows and a frozen beard on his face. Mei tried not to laugh, but she simply couldn't stop herself. She burst into a fit of giggles. Kasanoda soon joined her until the two were rolling in the snow.

Near the group of sledders, Kyoya had cleared a large space and drawn the attention of a number of courtiers.

"What are you doing, Kyoya?" Renge asked.

The illusionist pushed up the sleeves of his coat. "Just a simple magic trick."

Kyoya raised his arms high and flicked his hands out into a flourishing gesture. As he did, the ground trembled once. Almost instantly, a crystalline structure of ice rose from the ground. The courtiers gasped as they realized that the structure was in fact a copy of Shikanai's castle. They immediately circled around it, exclaiming over the details and marveling at the clarity of the ice.

"Kyoya! That's unbelievable!" Ranka exclaimed when he saw the castle replica.

Kyoya bowed to him. "Thank you very much Majesty."

"How long will it last?" Misuzu asked.

"Probably until the snow melts," Kyoya replied.

At that, Misuzu looked to Kyoya curiously. "You know, Kyoya, I believe I have some projects you could help with…"

"I would be glad to assist however I can."

The day continued with horseplay and laughter until late into the afternoon. Before dusk, the courtiers and staff gathered in the Great Hall around a roaring fire as they sipped steaming mugs of drinking chocolate and tea. The troupe, save for Kyoya—who had been summoned away by Misuzu, sat in the middle of all of this with Mei, Haruhi and Renge. Their conversation revolved around the new play that the troupe would be premiering in the city the next day.

"Oh I just can't wait for you to see the new costumes," Renge gushed. The troupe's manager had spent the ice-induced hiatus crafting a new set of elaborate costumes.

Mei, who had helped with some of the sewing but had yet to see the final product, clasped her hands together. "I can't wait—I bet they're perfect."

"And the new plot is nothing to sneeze at," Hikaru added.

"We think the crowd will love it," Kaoru continued.

"I'm sure they will," Mei said. As the conversation went on, she spotted someone edging around the crowd and looking for a place to sit. She waved to Kasanoda and motioned him over. He approached hesitantly.

"Ah, Bossanova!" Tamaki cried. "Come, have a seat!"

Kasanoda took the empty seat next to Mei. His teacup quivered slightly as he balanced it on the delicate china saucer. "I—uh—I didn't mean to interrupt."

"You're not interrupting," Haruhi said. "The troupe was just telling us about the new show they're putting on in the city tomorrow."

"Oh," Kasanoda managed.

"I'm going to see it," Mei stated. "Cassanova, you should come with me!"

Kasanoda abruptly reddened. "Um…that…that would be nice."

He glanced at Haruhi. "Will—will you go to see the show, Highness?"

"I can't, unfortunately," Haruhi said. At the gardener's perplexed look, she added, "Yuko."

"I see…" Kasanoda muttered as he stared into his cup.

"But you and Mei can tell me all about it when you get back," Haruhi offered.

"Fantastic idea, Haruhi!" Mei took Kasanoda's arm with a smile. "We'll make sure to get every detail! Right, Cassanova?"

Kasanoda swallowed. "Uh—um—right."

Mei beamed up at him and he hoped she didn't notice the flush creeping up his cheeks. Surely she had simply invited him as a friend.

But then again, could it be more than that?

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Courage, child, is lacking in this monarchy. My father was a coward. Despite his bluster, my brother is a coward as well."**_

 _ **"And what about Ryoji?" Kotoko asked.**_

 _ **The princess paused. "I do not believe that Ryoji is a coward. However, he has been cowed in obedience to my brother for so long that I believe he will need an incredibly good reason to stand up to him."**_

 _ **Kotoko wasn't sure what to say.**_

 _ **"You, on the other hand, are not a coward by any stretch of the imagination. And courage, my dear, is the most important trait a monarch can have. Because when the court is depending upon them, a monarch must act, no matter how fearful they may be."**_

That advice sounds a bit familiar. But what has Kotoko gotten into now? Check back next Thursday to find out!


	50. Chapter 50: A Royal Presentation

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! After this brief hiatus, we are back to our regularly scheduled programming. So on to review responses!

 **MagicQuill42:** Oh good! I think you'll really enjoy this next arc with Kasanoda then!

 **lillyannp** : Excellent powers of deduction-you're absolutely right! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **DiamondSparkle42:** That's a great suggestion-I'll keep it in mind! Thank you!

 **Chalice13:** Welcome back! It's great to hear from you again! So glad you're still enjoying the story. As for Tamaki's absence from Alsance, he did appoint his father as regent (this was only really referenced briefly back in chapter five) so the kingdom should be running fairly smoothly. I'm hoping to work an update from Alsance into a later arc. Those are all awesome suggestions for gifts and I've noted them all (I'm particularly partial to the Beauty and the Beast reference myself). Thank _you_ for your suggestions and your review!

 **tmwillson3:** Oh dear-I now have the image of Kyoya dressed in sparkly blue robes while singing "Let it Go" firmly stuck in my head. I suppose I'll have to save that idea for a comical spin-off one shot. In any case, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the chapter. Your gift suggestions are wonderful and I'll keep them in mind! As for Kasanoda, you'll see what happens soon! And thank you very much for the well-wishes regarding the test-it ended up going well!

 **QueenRainbow** : Aw, I will definitely miss your reviews, but I'll look forward to seeing you back in a few weeks! I hope your exams go well!

 **Sheepgirl418:** Thank you! Awesome reviewers like you got this fic to fifty chapters, so give yourself a pat on the back for me!

 **J Luc Pitard:** I'm so glad to hear that you're enjoying the story so far! I believe you'll have confirmation of your theories quite soon as you read on! It's always great to hear from new readers-thank you for your review!

So, due to Monday's break, I am keeping the reader question the same for this update. The question this time is: **what presents would you like to see the troupe give to Haruhi for her birthday?** I'd love to hear your thoughts so please send them in!

Again, because of the break, the Reader Wishlist topic is going to remain the same until next Thursday. The topic is... **Ranka/Ryoji**! Head canons, scenarios and hijinks are all welcome!

As of today, we are back on a normal schedule, so the next update will be on Monday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter, in which Kotoko must gather her courage.

 **Recurring OCs:** Master Fortier, the lawyer who has taken on Kotoko as an apprentice.

* * *

Ranka finished inking the last petal of a rose, then leaned back to survey his work. He nodded with a smile.

"There, I think it's finished."

Misuzu looked over the blooming flowers and chirping songbirds that covered the queen's note to the princess. "It's certainly very detailed. May I ask what the occasion is?"

"Oh, I'm just wishing her luck on her performance."

"In that case, it needs to be delivered immediately, I assume," Misuzu said, holding out a hand for the note.

"Well this is a surprising offer. Usually you complain about being a carrier pigeon," Ranka said as he gave Misuzu the letter.

Misuzu shrugged. "Once upon a time, I had a much longer route to travel than from one end of the castle to the other. Besides, it will give me an excuse to drop in on Mei."

The queen laughed. "Ah, I knew you had an ulterior motive."

The advisor grinned as he headed for the door. "You know me too well."

But as Misuzu walked to the princess's chambers, he gazed down at the illustrated note with a slight pang of nostalgia. In recent days, he had thought often of the times he had played messenger for his monarch. He had carried notes bearing similar careful sketches hundreds of times, even if the recipient of such notes had changed. To Misuzu's surprise, he actually missed the days he had scurried between the castle and a certain house in the city.

#

Kotoko sat on a bench in the square beneath the city clock tower, basking in the warmth of the early fall sun. She watched the crowd bustle past her with a smile. But the crowd abruptly disappeared as hands covered her eyes.

"Hey!" she exclaimed. She removed the temporary blindfold and turned around to face Ryoji's brilliant grin.

She crossed her arms and did her best to restrain the smile coming to her face. "You're late."

"Oh, only by five minutes. I had to take the long way through the castle today," Ryoji replied.

"Hmm, I suppose I can forgive that." She leaned forward and kissed him.

When they parted, Ryoji vaulted over the back of the bench and landed in the seat next to her. He draped an arm around her. "Well, what shall we do today, my lady?"

Kotoko held up a note decorated with intricate patterns of flowers and hearts. In their eight months of courtship, the couple had taken to writing notes to each other. Misuzu, their messenger, complained that he spent most of his time flitting from the castle to Kotoko's doorstep. "This said that you had something to tell me. I can't take the suspense a second longer."

Ryoji chuckled. "I should have known."

He took both of her hands in his. "Koto—the last eight months have been the happiest months of my life."

Kotoko giggled nervously. "Oh my, this sounds serious."

"Well, I'm afraid it is. But I promise it's a good thing."

"Okay…"

"As I was saying, you've made me so happy. But we can't keep sneaking around like this for forever."

Kotoko's stomach dropped as Ryoji took a deep breath. Surely he couldn't be about to say…

"Koto, I want to introduce you to my parents."

Yep. He had just said it. As a rush of lightheadedness came over her, she was suddenly thankful for the bench they were sitting on. If they had been standing, she might have fainted outright.

At her continued silence, Ryoji squeezed her hands. "I know it's a big step—"

"It's a _huge_ step. Ryo, it would change everything."

"I know. But my parents are wondering why I don't want to court! I don't know what to tell them! I want to tell them that I have met the most intelligent and beautiful woman ever to grace this earth. But until they meet you…" he trailed off.

Kotoko sighed. She knew he was right. They would have to cross this bridge at some point. She just hadn't expected it to come now. But, then again, the sooner they moved forward, the sooner this ordeal would be over with. So she gathered her courage and said, "You're right. I'm being silly. When do you want me to meet them?"

#

Yet the night of her presentation to the king and queen, all of Kotoko's courage seemed to have fled. She clung to Misuzu's arm as they stood in the palace's antechamber.

"Don't be so worried," Misuzu encouraged her. "You're going to be fine. Queen Emi is going to love you."

"And the king?"

Misuzu sighed. "King Itsuki is a proud man who only loves himself. Impressing him is an impossible task, so I wouldn't waste the effort. However, there _is_ someone that you need as an ally."

Kotoko looked to him curiously. "Who?"

"Princess Haruka. She's the king's sister. If you can win her favor, the rest will come."

Kotoko swallowed and nodded. "I'll remember that."

The door to the antechamber opened and a man dressed in sky blue and silver finery entered. It took Kotoko's dazzled eyes a moment to recognize the man as Ryoji.

"Well, I suppose that means it's showtime," Misuzu said.

Kotoko couldn't help herself. She embraced Misuzu and said, "Thank you for everything."

"Now none of that," Misuzu declared. "Thank me once you've been welcomed into the fold by the rest of the royal family."

And with that, Misuzu escorted her down the hall to Ryoji. The prince beamed at her.

"You look beautiful," he proclaimed.

Kotoko bowed her head, suddenly aware of how plain her green gown was compared to Ryoji's delicately embroidered coat and vest. "Thank you."

Ryoji offered his arm to her. She took it and they swept into the next room.

Ryoji led her to a dining room that housed a table of burnished wood inlaid with gold that had been set with crystal glasses and porcelain dishes. Upon their entrance, the three occupants of the room glanced up. Kotoko's attention was instantly drawn to the heavy-set man who frowned at them from the head of the table.

" _So that is King Itsuki,"_ Kotoko thought. A delicate woman with her hair set in a cascade of black curls sat at the man's right. She offered them both a slight smile. That had to be Queen Emi.

This meant that the stern grey-haired woman sitting to the king's left had to be Princess Haruka.

"Father, Mother, Aunt Haruka—this is Kotoko," Ryoji announced.

Kotoko dropped into a curtsey instantly. "Your Majesties. Your Highness."

"So she has manners at least," King Itsuki rumbled.

"Please, formalities aren't necessary. It's wonderful to meet you at last," Queen Emi said.

Kotoko felt a flush rise to her cheek as she nodded in silent thanks. Yet after a quick glance at the table, she realized that she wasn't sure whether she should take a seat next to the queen or the princess.

"Sit next to me, child." Princess Haruka's voice cut through with an irresistible authority that matched her stern appearance. "I want a better look at the woman my nephew has chosen."

Ryoji offered Kotoko a quick smile and pulled out the chair next to the princess.

"Thank you," Kotoko murmured as she sat down. Ryoji then took his place next to his mother. Kotoko glanced over the complicated place setting in front of her, suddenly glad of the etiquette lessons her mother had given her years ago.

The dinner began with soup served from silver tureens and silence. Despite the delicious scent and flavor, Kotoko could hardly manage to eat half of her portion due to her nerves. She felt terrible—it was such a waste.

"Do you dislike the food?" Princess Haruka inquired.

"Oh, no, Highness—it's wonderful," Kotoko replied.

"If it's so wonderful, then why haven't you eaten it?" King Itsuki demanded.

Kotoko tried to disguise a wince. So it began…

"Itsuki—don't bully her. She's probably anxious enough as it is," Queen Emi said, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

"As she should be!" King Itsuki exclaimed. The king leveled his gaze on Kotoko. "What do you want with my son?"

"Father!" Ryoji cut in.

"Silence!" King Itsuki roared, banging a fist on the table. Kotoko made a concerted effort not to flinch as the king continued, "well, are you going to answer me, girl?"

"Majesty—" Kotoko started.

But King Itsuki took no heed. "Is it his position? Are you after money? What does a _commoner_ like you want with _the prince_?"

Kotoko took a deep breath and raised her eyes to the king. "Majesty, I assure you that I have no such designs on your son."

"Lies!" the king scoffed. "How do you support yourself?"

"I have been an apprentice for eight months," Kotoko answered.

"To what? A seamstress? A hatter? Or have you taken up with a witch? After all, that's the only way you could have bewitched my son!"

"Itsuki, enough," Queen Emi cried.

But this statement had broken Ryoji's already strained composure. He jumped up from his seat and slammed both palms down on the table. The crystal glasses rattled precariously as he shouted, "She's apprenticed to Master Fortier!"

A moment of stunned silence followed.

But King Itsuki recovered first. He blanched with fury. "A—a woman? Apprenticed to—to a _lawyer_?" he spluttered.

"Yes! And she's had to do so in disguise due to your _absolutely ignorant_ and _backwards_ laws!" Ryoji shot back.

"You dare offer me such insolence?" the king snapped.

As the argument continued, Kotoko tried not to sink down in her chair. A firm grip took her shoulder. She looked to the princess with wide eyes.

"I believe this is our cue to make an exit, my dear," Princess Haruka said. Kotoko nodded, rose and followed the princess to the door of the dining room. She offered one last curtsey to the arguing royals and made her exit.

The shouting match carried out into the hall. Yet Princess Haruka seemed unbothered by the noise as she strode over to a footman. "Have biscuits, jam and tea sent to my chambers. Our meal was cut quite short."

"Yes Highness." The footman strode away as Princess Haruka turned to Kotoko.

"Please follow me."

Princess Haruka guided Kotoko through a maze of corridors and up a set of richly carpeted stairs to a sitting room in the princess's chambers.

"Quiet at last," Princess Haruka said with a sigh. "Sit."

Kotoko took a seat on the couch across from the princess as directed.

"So, you're apprenticed to Master Fortier?" Princess Haruka asked.

"Yes Highness."

"Excellent. That kind of work takes brains. I'd hate to see my nephew in love with a brainless girl. Have you enjoyed the work?"

"Absolutely, Highness."

"Come on now! Where is the girl that stood up to King Itsuki? I want to hear more than 'Yes Highness' and 'No Highness,'" Princess Haruka prompted.

"My apologies, Highness. I will try to be more specific."

Princess Haruka waved a hand. "Oh look at me—I'm being as demanding as my little brother."

Kotoko's mind registered the words "little brother" with some surprise. She knew that Ichio's monarchy had traditionally been passed from father to son, but she had never realized than an older female child would be passed over in favor of her younger brother.

Princess Haruka continued, "You've held your composure so well that I've entirely forgotten you're a commoner. Tonight has probably been exhausting for you. The rest of us have become…desensitized to my brother's outbursts. I apologize for his rudeness."

"You don't have to, Highness."

"But I feel I must. It's not every day that such an impressive young woman enters this palace."

Kotoko flushed and dipped her head. "Thank you very much, Highness."

Princess Haruka stood and strode over to one of the windows. "Kotoko, do you know what the main problem with this family is?"

"I know so little about the family, Highness, that I'm unsure that I could answer that question," Kotoko replied.

"So Ryoji doesn't speak of us?"

"Very little, Highness."

"I would expect nothing less." Princess Haruka turned her gaze back to Kotoko. "Courage, child, is lacking in this monarchy. My father was a coward. Despite his bluster, my brother is a coward as well."

"And what about Ryoji?" Kotoko asked.

The princess paused. "I do not believe that Ryoji is a coward. However, he has been cowed in obedience to my brother for so long that I believe he will need an incredibly good reason to stand up to him."

Kotoko wasn't sure what to say.

"You, on the other hand, are not a coward by any stretch of the imagination. And courage, my dear, is the most important trait a monarch can have. Because when the court is depending upon them, a monarch must act, no matter how fearful they may be. And I believe you've more than proven your strength in that respect."

For a moment, Kotoko was again at a loss for words. But she managed to say, "That's quite a compliment, Highness. Thank you."

"Think nothing of it."

The doors to the chambers opened and a maid brought in a cart laden with biscuits, preserves and tea. Princess Haruka clapped her hands together. "Ah, very good. Shall we finish the meal that my brother ruined?"

And so Kotoko took a late dinner with the princess. The majority of their conversation revolved around Kotoko's apprenticeship with Master Fortier. The older woman listened intently as Kotoko explained the cases she had aided the lawyer in. By the end of the night, Kotoko was fairly certain that she had made a favorable impression. Or at least, she hoped she had.

When the clock struck ten, Princess Haruka rose from her seat. "Well, it's gotten quite late. I suppose we should go see if Ryoji and Itsuki have made peace."

They left the chambers and meandered down another series of halls until raised voices resonated from one of the doors.

Princess Haruka sighed. "They've gone to the library. It must be quite an argument…"

From her place outside the set of wooden double doors, Kotoko could hear the muffled roar of King Itsuki. But Ryoji's enraged response soon floated to her.

"I have learned more from her than I have learned from _any_ of your blasted barristers! She knows the laws better than anyone! You always claim that I'm incapable of ruling on my own. But with her beside me, I firmly believe I could rule Ichio well. Your own prejudices have blinded you to her potential and I won't have it!" the prince exclaimed.

There was a pause and the beginning of a rumble from the king before Ryoji cut in again. "I've had enough. Be a blind fool if you wish. But I love her. And I would be a hapless idiot of a king without her. Think on that before you condemn my choice."

The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps made Kotoko step back from the doors. Ryoji emerged a moment later. His frock coat and vest had apparently been tossed away in the heat of the argument and his face was set with furious determination. But the moment he saw her, his expression eased.

Queen Emi stepped out of the library after her son. Instantly, she crossed the hall to Kotoko, took the girl's face in her hands and said, "Bless you, dear child. Bless you and all you have done for my son."

Kotoko's mouth would have dropped open in shock as the queen placed a kiss on her forehead, but the woman held her face with delicate firmness. She looked to Ryoji, desperate for an indication of some kind of response as the queen stepped away.

Ryoji merely smiled slightly and put an arm around his mother. "Now Mother, do try to contain yourself. Kotoko has had quite the night. I'm sure Aunt Haruka has been bombarding her with questions."

"I've done nothing of the sort. We had a very pleasant conversation," Princess Haruka said.

"Ah, really?" Ryoji cast a glance to his aunt. The woman nodded with a hint of a smile playing at her lips. Upon seeing this, Ryoji's grin grew. He left his mother and came to Kotoko's side. "That's wonderful news. Now, Koto, let me take you home."

In spite of the dizzying stress of the night, Kotoko's manners had not left her. She curtseyed to the queen and the princess. "Highness, Majesty. Thank you very much for the evening," she said.

The queen and princess returned her gesture with curtsies of their own before Ryoji escorted her down the corridor and out of the castle.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all of that tonight," he said as soon as they passed out of the castle's walls. "My father is a stubborn idiot."

"I'm sure he was only trying to do what he believed was right."

Ryoji snorted and pulled her closer to him. "Don't give him the benefit of the doubt. He doesn't deserve it. But, I think things went as well as they could. Since you've won over Aunt Haruka, it should be much easier to bring my father around."

Kotoko looked up at him. "You really think so?"

"I know so. We'll bring him around eventually, I promise." Ryoji stopped and put his hands on her shoulders. "But Koto, no matter what happens from here on, know that I love you. And I don't care if I have the entire kingdom and my father's army against me—I will fight for us."

Tears pricked at Kotoko's eyes at this declaration. She put one hand on his cheek. "Well, hopefully it won't come to that. But regardless, I love you too and I'm willing to fight just as hard."

With this pact made, Ryoji leaned down and kissed her. In that moment, the rest of the night slipped away. Things would work out eventually.

After all, they were in love.

And love would always find a way.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **The rest of the troupe started into a singsong rendition of a stirring popular overture that seemed to go on at a galloping pace.**_ _ **Haruhi restrained a giggle as she realized that Tamaki had already sighted his victim in the audience.**_

 _ **The jester pointed to Kasanoda and waved him towards the stage.** _

It looks as if _Arlecchino_ has found another unwilling volunteer. But what role will Kasanoda perform? Check back Monday to find out!


	51. Chapter 51: The Gardener's Discovery

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **Penstar1331** : Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter so much! And I think you'll see about your prediction with Princess Haruka in the next chapter of Kotoko and Ryoji's arc!

 **MagicQuill42:** Aw, that's a huge compliment-thank you so much! I wanted to make sure I did their relationship justice as far as the cute factor goes, so it's great to hear that!

 **DiamondSparkle42:** Thank you-it means so much to hear that! Fortunately, the exam went well. But I'm very glad to be back to writing rather than studying!

 **Sheepgirl418:** I will definitely look forward to hearing from you after the break! Hope your tests and exams go well!

 **tmwillson3:** Yes-rah, rah, go Ryoji! I really enjoyed writing that bit of the chapter. As for the shenanigans involving our unwilling volunteer, there's plenty to come in this chapter!

 **QueenRainbow:** Great to hear from you! I'm very happy to hear that you enjoyed the chapter!

The reader question is up for a change this post! I've been looking over the next few chapters and I've realized that I have an opportunity to work in a bit with Kasanoda's "apprenticeship" to Mori. So, I'd like to know: **what would you like to see regarding Kasanoda's apprenticeship?** Is there any material from the original anime and manga that you'd like to see my spin on? Or do you have other ideas related to this AU that you're dying to see? I'd love to know your thoughts, so send them in!

Yet again, because of the break, the Reader Wishlist topic won't change until this Thursday. The topic is still... **Ranka/Ryoji**! Head canons, scenarios and hijinks are all welcome!

The next update will be on Thursday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which the troupe returns to the city after an ice-induced hiatus.

* * *

Haruhi peered out from behind the backdrop of the stage at a crowd that must have been double the size of any of their previous audiences. Obviously the break caused by the freezing weather had whet the appetites of the residents for a new performance. Hopefully this new act didn't disappoint.

The new performance had opened with _Columbina_ preparing to leave the empty house of her _innamorata_ mistress to visit a sick aunt in the countryside. She spent most of her time tidying up and ensuring that the household would be in order for her mistress's return home. But just as she had gathered up her bags to exit the house, she paused. She put down her bags with a sigh, mumbling about how she had forgotten that she had agreed to have lunch with _Arlecchino_. She quickly wrote a note and placed it on the kitchen counter where _Arlecchino_ would be sure to find it. Then, she picked up her bags and bustled out of the house through the side entrance, leaving the latch key outside for _Arlecchino_. Yet as she did, a gust of wind (which Kyoya provided from the wings) blew the note from the counter and under the dish cabinet standing against one wall.

In the current scene, _Arlecchino_ had just popped into the kitchen with a bouquet of flowers. He trilled for _Columbina,_ but stopped as he saw that the kitchen was unoccupied. At first, he believed it to be a game. He grinned and began "seeking" his sweetheart. But when he realized the kitchen was truly empty, he frowned. He trooped out of the kitchen, calling for _Columbina_. His voice echoed about from the backstage as he "walked" about the house. Upon his return to the kitchen, he set the bouquet to one side and ran an anxious hand through his hair. He began to pace, starting into a soliloquy about how _Columbina_ never forgot plans and was never late. Eventually, he worked himself up into such a frenzy only one option remained. In typical fashion, he jumped to conclusions and assumed that _Columbina_ had been kidnapped.

The soliloquy turned into a tirade of bravado about the things he would do to _Columbina's_ captors when he found them. As this continued, Mori, Honey and the twins stepped to the very edge of the stage so that they formed a chorus invisible to _Arlecchino_. Finally, _Arlecchino_ declared that he would go out into the city and search for _Columbina._ He announced that he would not rest until she had been found. Haruhi smiled a bit—the audience should enjoy the next bit.

The rest of the troupe started into a singsong rendition of a stirring popular overture that seemed to go on at a galloping pace. Haruhi restrained a giggle as she realized that Tamaki had already sighted his victim in the audience.

The jester pointed to Kasanoda and waved him towards the stage.

The gardener swallowed and pointed to himself. Tamaki nodded vigorously and waved again. With a bit of prompting from Mei, Kasanoda came forward. Tamaki instructed him to turn around at the edge of the stage. Kasanoda cautiously turned about and Tamaki hopped onto his back, one arm thrown out as if riding a noble charger. Kasanoda looked back at the jester in confusion. Tamaki sighed and mimed walking as the audience laughed. Understanding seemed to dawn and Kasanoda begrudgingly walked through the crowd as the troupe continued their overture.

The scene closed and Kasanoda looped back to the stage, still carrying Tamaki on his back through the cheering audience. The jester leapt from the gardener's back to the stage, then pumped Kasanoda's arm up and down in an overly enthusiastic handshake. This ordeal as Tamaki's "horse" over, Kasanoda returned to his place beside Mei, a flush blazing at his cheeks.

The next scene opened with _Pedrolino_ paying a visit to the kitchen. The young servant bobbed about the empty rooms, calling for _Columbina_. Just as he was about to give up on his search, _Arlecchino_ burst through the door. When _Pedrolino_ observed the ragged state of his friend, he inquired what was wrong. _Arlecchino_ launched into a weeping explanation of his failed hunt for _Columbina_. As _Pedrolino_ listened, he tried to offer other explanations. But _Arlecchino's_ grief was so powerful that it convinced _Pedrolino_ of _Columbina's_ apparent fate. The two hatched a plan to approach _Arlecchino's_ master, a powerful nobleman and friend to _Columbina's_ mistress, and the captain of the guard.

And so _Il Capitano_ and _Arlecchino's innamorata_ master joined the hunt for _Columbina_ without hesitation. They scoured the town for several days, but to no avail.

After another failed search, the four gathered at the home of _Columbina's_ mistress to examine the place for any final clues. Yet as _Arlecchino_ sat despondent in the kitchen, the side door opened and the house's mistress minced in. The _innamorata_ inquired to the reason of the presence of her friends and the captain of the guard. They gently broke the news of the lady's missing maid. The _innamorata's_ head tilted to one side. She gestured to the door just as it opened again to reveal _Columbina_.

 _Arlecchino_ let out a cry of joy. He bounded up from his seat and swept _Columbina_ into the air. The lady's maid protested, kicking at the air. She finally demanded an explanation for such behavior. _Arlecchino_ guilelessly related his belief that she had been kidnapped. _Columbina_ stared at him in disbelief. Seeing her displeasure, _Arlecchino_ set her on her feet. She asked if the jester had gotten her note. _Arlecchino_ shook his head. _Columbina_ cast a glance around the room, saw the corner of the paper sticking out from the bottom of the cabinet and picked it up to offer it to him. _Arlecchino_ read the note, his face reddening in embarrassment. As the others read the account, _Columbina_ explained that she had run into her mistress on the road returning to the city. The others glared at _Arlecchino,_ who could only offer a sheepish shrug and a grin as the scene came to an end.

The audience burst into cheers and applause as the troupe bowed. A few fans pushed forward to the stage, imploring their idols to step down. The performers laughed and jumped down from the stage to greet the crowd.

Mei and Kasanoda eventually made their way through the crush of the crowd to the performers.

"Renge was right!" Mei cried when they reached the troupe. "The new costume are fantastic! Spin around—I want to look at them!"

The troupe members obliged and Mei marveled at the work. But when she came to Haruhi, she paused. "Oh! Um, Cassanova, I don't think you've been introduced to Haruki! He's been playing _Columbina_ for a few months now."

"Actually," Haruhi said. "I think we met once, but it's been quite a while. You saved me from getting pulled into a fight in front of the chestnut merchant."

"That's right," Kasanoda said. "I thought you looked familiar."

"It's nice to see you again," Haruhi offered.

"Yeah, definitely," Kasanoda replied.

The others in the troupe exchanged a slightly relieved glance as the conversation skipped over further discussion of "Haruki" and onto talk about the performance.

The crowd gradually dispersed and the troupe began to break down their set. Finally sick of the chill wind blowing through her costume, Haruhi gathered up her commoner's clothes and said, "I'm going to change."

"Okay," Honey chimed. But no one noticed that the simple black eye mask, part of _Columbina's_ new costume, slipped to the ground as Haruhi went to the wagon to change.

She had just finished exchanging _Columbina's_ skirt for her commoner's trousers when she heard a noise at the entrance of the wagon.

"Um, just a second—I'm changing," she called as she tugged at the cotton undershirt that had someone bunched under her stays. She turned, then abruptly snatched her commoner's shirt to her chest.

Kasanoda stood in the entrance of the wagon, mouth hanging open as the eye mask drooped in his hand right hand.

* * *

The next chapter excerpt is...

 ** _Hikaru pinned the helpless gardener to the side of the wagon._**

 ** _"What did you see?" he growled._**

 ** _"I swear-I didn't see anything!" Kasanoda cried._**

 ** _"We don't believe you," Kaoru snarled._**

 ** _Kasanoda looked between the two enraged twins with wide eyes._**

Oh no. Looks like Kasanoda is in a great deal of trouble. How will our bandit-turned-gardener escape from this awkward situation? Check back Thursday to find out!


	52. Chapter 52: Columbina's Secret

Hi everyone!

Hope you've all been doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **tmwillson3:** Oh, it _had_ to be awkward. I wouldn't be doing it justice if it wasn't. I love your suggestion-I'll try to think of an 18th century lovely item worth abusing!

 **DiamondSparkle42:** Glad you enjoyed it! Hope you like this chapter just as much!

 **MagicQuill42:** I couldn't have said it better myself! Now for the fallout!

 **lillyannp:** Thank you! And I think it'll be _quite_ some time before we have _everything_ revealed. After all, I still have at least three more mini-arcs to complete!

As usual, the reader question stays the same for this update. So, the topic is... **Kasanoda's apprenticeship!** Any and all ideas are appreciated so send them in!

Now, the Reader Wishlist topic is up for a change! This week it is... **Columbina and the _innamorati!_** I'd eventually like to work in a scene that the twins and Haruhi have to work closely together on a performance (perhaps to Tamaki's exclusion) but I'm having a bit of trouble coming up with ideas. So, what would you guys like to see?

The next update will be on Monday as usual!

Before we get into the chapter, I'd like to make a brief special announcement. My original webcomic, _The Adventures of Badgergirl and Beaverboy_ , is officially up and running! I know that a good number of Ouran fans are also involved in the Miraculous Ladybug fandom. For those of you that are in this category, I think you will really enjoy this college spin on superheroes! Unfortunately, I'm having a bit of trouble posting links here (likely a spam filter doing it), so I can't direct link. But, search The Adventures of Badgergirl and Beaverboy or BGandBBAdventures on Deviantart and it should pop up!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which the troupe must deal with the discovery of a secret!

* * *

Kasanoda tried to make his mouth work to offer an apology. But for some reason, his lips refused to form words and only a croak of surprise came from his throat.

For a moment, it seemed that the… _girl_ in front of him couldn't speak either. But finally, she exclaimed: "He—hey! Get out!"

"So—sorry!" Kasanoda stammered. He stumbled backwards out of the wagon.

Yet as soon as he turned around, two sets of eyes gleaming with fury confronted him.

"You _saw_ ," the twins hissed in unison.

"Wha—what? No—no! I didn't see a thing!"

"Then why are you so red?" the twins chorused. "Surely there's nothing to be embarrassed about if Haruki was already done changing."

"We—well, uh—um—she—uh—"

"So you know she's a girl now," Kaoru declared.

"Um—sort of—" Kasanoda began to edge away from the twins.

Hikaru pinned the helpless bandit-turned-gardener to the side of the wagon. "What did you see?" he growled.

"I swear—I didn't see anything!" Kasanoda cried.

"We don't believe you," Kaoru snarled.

Kasanoda looked between the enraged twins with wide eyes. "It—it was an accident! I was just trying to return this mask!"

He held up the eye mask with a shaking hand. Someone took it from him.

"Sure, that's a likely excuse." This statement cut through the air with a calm coldness. Kasanoda glanced down at the source and trembled even more. Honey glared up at him with a terrifyingly serene rage.

 _"_ _He's the scariest one here!"_ Kasanoda thought.

Hikaru shoved him against the wagon again. "So that brings us back to the question: what did you see?"

"It—um—well—she was—changing. I—um—saw—saw her—underpinnings," Kasanoda confessed.

The murderous glint in the twins' eyes sharpened.

"Hikaru, Honey, hold him." Kaoru hefted a spare board kept for the set up in one hand. "I think we need to alter his memory."

But just as Kasanoda cringed, preparing for the blow, someone called out: "Hikaru, Kaoru, Honey—that's quite enough."

Kasanoda cracked open one eye to see Kyoya standing behind the twins and Honey.

"It's not enough!" Hikaru cried. "He _knows!"_

"And I believe Ritsu will be reasonable. Let him down so we can discuss matters," Kyoya directed.

The twins begrudgingly released Kasanoda as Kyoya stepped forward. "Now, Ritsu, I understand you've stumbled upon Haruki's secret. You see, her father is a rather powerful nobleman in the region who has forbidden her from participating in any kind of…common frivolity. However, she wished to perform with us and as such, has been compelled to disguise herself as a boy. I'm sure you can see the potential dilemma that will emerge should her secret come to light."

"Of…of course," Kasanoda managed.

"Excellent. After all, I would hate to see someone in your position coming against a foreign nobleman like Haruki's father," Kyoya said.

"That would be bad," Kasanoda agreed with a fervent nod.

The illusionist lowered his voice and leaned forward so that only Kasanoda could hear him. "Besides, as this is the second of our secrets you have found out, I trust that you will keep it. Because you wouldn't want to draw the ire of a king as well as a nobleman, would you? So perhaps file this secrecy under 'loyalty debts owed?'"

Kasanoda's head bobbed up and down. "Absolutely!"

Kyoya smiled brightly. "Very good. I'm glad we're on the same page."

"You're just going to let him get away with this?" Kaoru exclaimed.

"What on earth is all of this fuss about?"

The others turned to see Mei and Tamaki rounding the corner of the remains of their backstage area.

"Milord, Bossanova found out Haruki's secret!" Hikaru shouted.

Mei and Tamaki's faces froze into identical expressions of horror. "He what?"

"Cassanova discovered that Haruki is a girl," Kyoya cut in. "I explained her situation—about her father being a powerful nobleman in the area."

"Oh." At that, Mei and Tamaki let out sighs of relief.

Tamaki chuckled a bit. "That's hardly much of a disaster. May I ask how he made this discovery?"

"He walked in on Haruki changing and saw her underpinnings!" Honey announced.

The blood drained from Tamaki and Mei's faces as they froze again. "What?"

"You heard him! He saw her in a state of undress," Hikaru sneered.

Mei and Tamaki swiveled to look at each other, then to Kasanoda. Neither one could say anything.

"See—he's shocked milord _and_ Mei into silence!" Kaoru argued. "We have to do something!"

"Guys, cut it out." Haruhi emerged from the wagon, adjusting her cap as she did. "It was just an accident."

She stepped down beside Kasanoda and offered a slight smile. "I'm sorry that happened. They're really making more of a fuss over it than they should. It's not that big of a deal."

"Um, Haruki, what about _your father_?" Mei asked, finally shaking herself from her daze.

Haruhi shrugged. "He can be a bit overprotective. But I'm sure even he would understand that accidents happen."

Mei let out a wheezing snort of a laugh. "You're joking, right?"

"You worry too much. There's no harm done. We can just all forget the whole thing happened," Haruhi said. "Right?"

Kasanoda laughed nervously. He wasn't sure if he would ever be able to forget what had just happened. But the others didn't need to know that. "Ri—right!"

"Good, then it's settled," Haruhi replied.

Yet the rest of the group still stared at Kasanoda with narrowed eyes. The chimes of the city clock tower rang out and the bandit-turned-gardener said, "Uh, well, I guess I should be getting back to the gardens now! Can't stay away from them for too long! Mei, um, do you want to come back to the castle with me?"

"I have some errands to run first," Mei said. "But please, don't let me stop you. I can always come back with the troupe."

Kasanoda rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, that's fine. See all of you back at the castle—well, I guess except you, Haruki."

"I'm sure we'll see each other around again soon," Haruhi said.

And with that, Kasanoda hurried away to the castle.

Mei offered Kyoya an imploring glance, her head tilting slightly towards Haruhi. She made a small shooing motion with her fingers. The illusionist replied with the slightest nod of understanding.

"So, since an absolute disaster has been averted, I believe we have other matters to take care of. Haruhi, would you go with Honey and Mori to the haberdashery? Renge told me that she has an order that should be in by now."

"Um, sure, I guess. But don't you guys need help here? Besides, I don't really know where the haberdashery is," Haruhi said.

"We can handle everything here," Kaoru said.

"And Mori and I know where the haberdashery is. We've been with Renge lots of times," Honey assured her.

"Okay then," Haruhi agreed hesitantly. She allowed Mori and Honey to lead her away, but kept casting suspicious glances at the remaining group by the wagon.

"All of you have to swear not to tell what just happened to anyone," Mei burst out as soon as Haruhi was out of sight. "If His Majesty hears about what happened, he'll have Cassanova's head for it!"

"Hmmm, sounds like a solution to our problem," Hikaru muttered.

"You can't! Cassanova hasn't done anything to deserve it!" Mei retorted.

"Why are you so protective of him, anyway?" Kaoru asked. "He just became a gardener at the castle a few months ago. Do you really know anything about him?"

"I—I don't care!" Mei exclaimed, stamping a foot. But an embarrassed flush was already rising to her cheeks.

"He could be anyone for all you know," Hikaru said. "Why defend someone like that?"

At last, Tamaki broke from his trance. Seeing Mei's distress, he stepped in. "Hikaru, Kaoru, please—be civil. Can't you see you're upsetting the lady?"

Hikaru and Kaoru shrugged. "Yes milord."

"Mei, I promise that we'll keep this incident to ourselves," Tamaki said. "You're right—there's no reason for poor Bossanova to be thrown into a mess like that over an accident."

"If it was an accident," Hikaru muttered. The king of the troupe shot him a silencing glare.

"Thank you so much, Tamaki," Mei said with a relieved sigh.

"Well, I suppose we need to get the rest of the set put away," Tamaki said.

Mei clapped her hands together. "Hikaru, Kaoru, please show me how I can help."

As the twins and Mei busied themselves with the set, Kyoya took Tamaki aside.

"I'm sure Kasanoda won't be a problem," the illusionist said. "After all, he is still in your debt. However, if he discovers Haruki's true identity, it will become a much more difficult situation."

"How so?"

"Perhaps he begins asking too many questions. Or he lets something slip while at the castle. It could put all of our identities in danger," Kyoya explained.

Tamaki nodded. "Then we'll have to be careful."

"And you have no qualms about what just happened?"

"No—why would I?"

"Considering your…situation with Haruhi and the original reason we came to Ichio, such an occurrence might be…troubling to you."

"It was an accident, nothing more," Tamaki replied.

Kyoya nodded with the slightest of bows before disappearing into the wagon. Tamaki shook his head, forcing the thought of the incident away. He locked it away in some back drawer in his mind, vowing that it couldn't bother him if he didn't think about it. A monarch could be plagued by a number of troubles, but they had to appear unruffled for their court.

In truth, Tamaki found himself greatly disturbed by the entire thing. And he wasn't sure he wanted to delve into the reasons _why_ such an event unsettled him. At least, not yet.

Unbidden, a memory of Haruhi scrutinizing his palms to see how he had produced roses from thin air came to him. How close they had been. This was immediately followed by a reminder of their embrace in the darkness of that stormy night. His cheeks burned and he immediately set about the rest of his work to quiet his mind.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Tetsuya, I wouldn't bother him," one of the men warned.**_

 _ **"Why?" Tetsuya asked.**_

 _ **"He's been acting very…strange."**_

 _ **"What do you mean?" Tetsuya frowned, rerunning the past few days. Nothing had happened that should have upset Kasanoda.**_

 _ **"He's been mumbling constantly about someone named Haruki."**_

Seems that Kasanoda might be a touch smitten. What hijinks await? Check back Monday to find out!


	53. Chapter 53: The Gardener's Confession

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses kick us off as usual!

 **Penstar1331:** Oh, don't worry-I can't let Haruhi have _everyone_. As for Kasanoda's fate, not everything is revealed here, but it will be quite soon!

 **MagicQuill42:** Good! I wasn't sure how/if I could work in his obliviousness without his "Daddy" delusion coming into play, so I'm very glad to hear you picked up on it!

 **lillyannp:** Yes. Yes they will. And one of our pair may have to face their feelings sooner than the other! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **QueenRainbow:** Thank you very much-hope you like this chapter just as much!

 **tmwillson3:** Unfortunately for Kasanoda, his nightmare is just getting started. As for discovering Haruki's true identity...read on!

 **Rosezelene Ersa:** Thank you so much! That really means a lot to hear-a reader finishing a long story in a short amount of time is always a huge compliment. And hearing that I've managed to do justice to the random "chimeric" (love your word choice by the way!) nature of the anime and manga made me unbelievably happy. Please don't apologize for any "breach" of "the happy reader code!" I understand that reviews take time and I am perfectly happy to receive one detailed review on the most recent chapter. So thank _you_ very much for your review! Hope you enjoy future chapters just as much!

Since it's Monday, the reader question is up for a change! I've been playing around with a few ideas for later chapters, mostly for backstory chapters for each of the hosts. I currently have chapters planned dedicated to Kyoya, the twins and Honey. Mori is unfortunately still an enigma, so his backstory chapter may have to be combined with Honey's to flesh it out. But, I'm toying with the idea of also giving Tamaki a backstory chapter, likely involving his mother. So, **would you guys be interested in a backstory chapter dedicated to Tamaki?** As was the case with Kotoko and Ryoji's arc, I will make sure the chapters don't interfere with the action of the main arc. Any and all opinions are welcome, so send them in!

The Reader Wishlist topic is still... **Columbina and the _innamorati!_** What kind of scenes would you like to see play out between these three? Send in your thoughts!

The next update will be on Thursday as usual!

Also, for any Miraculous Ladybug fans, check out my original webcomic _The Adventures of Badgergirl and Beaverboy_! Search BGandBBAdventures on Deviantart or check the link posted recently to my tumblr!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a certain gardener ponders making a confession.

* * *

Over the next week, Kasanoda's trips to visit his men at their camp became much more frequent. But the bandit-turned-gardener was distracted and it did not escape the notice of his men.

One day, Tetsuya returned from his shift at the bakery with an armful of crackling loaves of bread still warm from the oven. He saw that the flap of Kasanoda's tent was closed.

"Ah, so the young lord is back again?" Tetsuya looked to the small band of men sitting around the campfire.

The other men exchanged an uneasy look. "He is."

"We're fortunate to have him with us so often! Do you know if he's eaten this evening?" Tetsuya started towards his leader's tent, a loaf of bread in hand.

"Tetsuya, I wouldn't bother him," one of the men warned.

"Why?" Tetsuya asked.

"He's been acting very…strange."

"What do you mean?" Tetsuya frowned, rerunning the past few days. Nothing had happened that should have upset Kasanoda.

"He's been mumbling constantly about someone named Haruki," another man explained.

Tetsuya blinked. He recognized that name vaguely. Ah yes—he had heard it while passing through one of the squares in the city. The troupe headed by the king of Alsance had taken on a Haruki Fujimoto. But surely it was just a coincidence. "Do you mean Haruki Fujimoto?"

The other men burst into a clamor at that.

"Yeah! Do you know if the kid ticked the boss off?"

"He's dead meat if he did! I've never heard Kasanoda talk about someone so much!"

"He's gotten under the boss's skin for sure!"

Tetsuya cast a glance at Kasanoda's tent. "Let me see if I can find out more…"

Tetsuya edged over to the tent and slipped the flap open. "Excuse me—young lord?"

But Kasanoda didn't seem to hear him. The bandit-turned-gardener was instead considering a flower. He plucked petals from him, saying, "like" or "love" at each pluck.

Tetsuya watched in a kind of fascinated horror as Kasanoda pulled the last petal and exclaimed, "Love! I knew it! I'm in love with Haruki Fujimoto!"

Before the infatuated young man could turn around, Tetsuya withdrew from the tent. When had this happened? But come to think of it, Tetsuya had seen Kasanoda watching the troupe's performances recently.

"Well…" Tetsuya began. "This Haruki hasn't angered Kasanoda."

"Then what's happened?"

"I wouldn't have expected this…But Haruki is rather feminine for a guy. And he plays a female character exclusively," Tetsuya mused.

"Come on Tetsuya, spit it out! What's going on with the boss?"

Tetsuya took a deep breath, then announced, "He's…in love."

The men's faces froze. Their mouths worked up and down in silence. Until…

"The boss is in love _with a dude_?" one exclaimed.

"How have we been with him this long and not known this?" another demanded.

"We've failed as followers! Failed!" yet another wailed.

Tetsuya shrugged helplessly as the rest of the camp fell into chaos.

#

"Haruki, if you have a moment—no that sounds too formal," Kasanoda muttered.

The morning after his "realization," the bandit-turned-gardener was still trying to find the right words for his confession to Haruki Fujimoto. He trimmed the ornamental hedges in the Spy's Courtyard absently as he rephrased the question over and over.

"Hey, Haruki, do you have a second? Yeah—that might work…"

"What might work?"

Kasanoda started, chopping a branch far shorter than he needed to. He spun around to face Mei. "Oh, um—it's—it's nothing!"

Mei regarded him suspiciously. "Hmm…if it's nothing, then why are you so jumpy?"

"Er—um—"

Mei folded her arms with a sigh. "Really, what's going on? You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Kasanoda's mouth dropped open slightly as the hedge clippers went limp in his hands. "You'd…you'd do that for me?"

"Of course."

"With…without…judging me or anything?"

Mei nodded. "Yeah. That's what friends are supposed to do for each other, after all."

Kasanoda set the clippers down and rubbed the back of his neck with an embarrassed shrug. "Well, I guess I've just never had anyone put it like that."

"So what's wrong?"

He cast a glance around the courtyard. A few courtiers meandered around despite the lingering chill in the air. "It's sort of personal."

"Ah—in that case, follow me."

Mei led him to another tiny and slightly overgrown courtyard on the eastern side of the castle. The weak winter sun streamed down the stone walls and bathed the place in golden light.

"Wow, I never knew this was here," Kasanoda said as they took their seats on the lone bench.

"Not many people know about it," Mei said. "But Princess Haruhi and I always used to come here to talk if we didn't want to be overheard."

She smoothed her skirts and leveled a serious gaze on Kasanoda. "So, what's the problem?"

"You're probably going to think I'm stupid for worrying like this," Kasanoda started. "But…it's…it's a problem with a girl."

"Okay…"

"I—I haven't known her very long, but she's so understanding. I feel like she really gets me, you know?"

Mei's eyes might have widened just a touch upon hearing that. "That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"Of—of course. Except…I…I think I'm in love with her."

Mei reddened abruptly. " _Oh_."

With this confession, the words began to spill out of Kasanoda's mouth almost faster than he could keep up. "I don't think I've ever felt this way about anyone, but how am I supposed to know if I'm actually in love wit her? And on top of that, I have no idea how she feels about me. We're good friends and I don't want to spoil that, but I feel like I'm going to explode if I don't tell her how I feel!"

"May I…may I ask the lucky girl's name?" Mei inquired faintly.

"Oh—I didn't even tell you that, did I? Guess that shows how turned around I am…It's Haruki Fujimoto."

Mei went stiff. "Ha…Haruki?"

"It's crazy, right? But ever since I found out she's a girl, I can't get her out of my head," Kasanoda continued.

The lady-in-waiting's hands twisted into her skirts. "Cassanova, you _can't_ be serious. You hardly know her!"

"But what if it's love at first sight?"

"Don't be ridiculous! There's no such thing!" Mei leapt up from the bench, her eyes flashing.

Kasanoda rocked back in his seat, surprised by her vehemence. "Oh, well—"

Mei was already pacing back and forth. "Besides, are you _trying_ to get yourself killed? Didn't you hear Kyoya? Haruki's father is a powerful and _over-protective_ nobleman! Do you think he's just going to let you traipse around with his daughter?"

"I didn't…I didn't think that far," Kasanoda muttered.

"You _cannot_ tell her. It will all end in tears if you do, I promise you."

At that, Kasanoda straightened. "How do you know? Her father might understand!"

"Look, I just know!" Mei cried. "Don't ask me how, I just know! _"_

With this final outburst, Mei shook her head and hurried out of the courtyard. Kasanoda swayed slightly in the shockwaves of her anger.

A few hours later, he was still puzzling over Mei's reaction as he trimmed the trees in the southern courtyard.

" _She seemed awfully upset. And how would she know all of this about Haruki?"_ he thought as he moved his ladder to trim the trees surrounding the outside of the princess's chambers. Yet as he scaled the ladder, he caught a bit of a conversation floating out from a poorly latched window.

"Haruhi, you _can't_ go out into the city today!"

That was Mei's voice. Unable to fight his curiosity, Kasanoda leaned over to peek through the window.

Mei sat on one of the couches, looking back to the door to Haruhi's bedroom.

"Mei, I have to. The troupe is performing today. They need me there," Haruhi's voice replied.

Kasanoda tried to make this statement make sense. Why would the princess be worried about the troupe? And why was she going into the city in the first place?

But the bedroom door opened and Kasanoda's heart stopped.

Princess Haruhi was wearing her hair pinned up under a very familiar knitted cap. And when she turned to the window, Kasanoda only saw Haruki Fujimoto dressed in a princess's finery.

He let out a croaking gasp and leaned back, forgetting his precarious perch. The ladder tottered. Kasanoda cried out and clung to it. But the action did little to prevent the ladder from crashing down.

Luckily, Kasanoda landed on a dense hedge. As he stared upwards in the aftermath of the terror, one of the windows swung open and Haruhi and Mei's heads popped out.

"Kasanoda!" They cried.

"Don't move—we'll be right down!" Haruhi exclaimed.

Indeed, the two arrived in the courtyard a few moments later.

"Are you hurt?" Haruhi asked.

"I—I don't think so," Kasanoda stammered. He slowly rolled out of the hedge and onto the ground.

"You're so lucky! That could have been awful," Mei said.

"Ye—yeah." But as Kasanoda looked at them, he realized that something was out of place. "Uh…um…Highness…your cap."

Haruhi and Mei's eyes went wide. Haruhi snatched the cap from her head and pulled the pins from her hair before anyone else could see. She offered a mortified smile to Kasanoda. "Thank you."

"No—no problem," Kasanoda replied.

They were soon swarmed by a group of courtiers who had seen the whole incident unfold. When Kasanoda demonstrated that the fall hadn't done any damage, the courtiers let out sighs of relief. Yet in typical fashion, they took this opportunity to chat with the princess. As the courtiers surrounded the princess, Mei came to Kasanoda's side.

"Do you see why I didn't want you to tell her now?"

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Kasanoda snapped out of his nightmares with a gasp. For the entire night, he had dreamed of being chased by two giants, one red-haired and one blonde, that both wore shining gold crowns. Try as he might, he couldn't outrun the wrath of these two royal titans. Any attempt at escape was met with an army of ghostly spirits led by a figure in dark robes and enormous silver eyes.**_

It seems as if our bandit-turned-gardener has realized the gravity of his situation. But how will he cope with this new reality? Check back Thursday to find out!


	54. Chapter 54: Mori's Apprentice

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first as usual!

 **MagicQuill42:** That's perfectly fine! Thank you for your response!

 **Sheepgirl418:** Aw, thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed them! It's great to have you back!

 **lillyannp:** Hopefully the excerpt will make more sense in this chapter! And yes, Tamaki is absolutely clueless-it wouldn't be an Ouran fanfiction without that! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **tmwillson3:** I agree-poor Kasanoda! I love your ideas with the _innamorati!_ They're filed away for future use!

So, the reader question stays the same for this update! I would like to know: **would you guys be interested in a backstory chapter dedicated to Tamaki?** As was the case with Kotoko and Ryoji's arc, the main arc action won't be interrupted!

As it's Thursday, the Reader Wishlist topic is up for a change! This week it's... **Mei and Misuzu!** I have a few father-daughter bonding ideas in mind, but I would like to hear if you guys have any that you'd like to see!

The next update will be on Monday as usual!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a certain gardener offers himself as an apprentice.

* * *

Kasanoda snapped out of his nightmares with a gasp. For the entire night, he had dreamed of being chased by two giants, one red-haired and one blonde, that both wore shining gold crowns. Try as he might, he couldn't outrun the wrath of these two royal titans. Any attempt at escape was met with an army of ghostly spirits led by a figure in dark robes and enormous silver eyes.

Three things began to spin about in his mind as soon as the haze from his dreams cleared. First, he had feelings for Princess Haruhi, which could very well not be reciprocated. Second, the king of Alsance, whom he owed a loyalty debt to, wished to court the aforementioned princess and would likely not take kindly to a romantic rival. And third, the princess's father was very protective of his daughter and would have Kasanoda's head on a platter if he found out about the incident at the wagon.

Kasanoda clutched his head, trying to slow his whirling thoughts. But no matter which way he looked at it, the three pieces of knowledge added up to one fact: he would never be able to confess his feelings to Haruhi.

Yet at the same time, he felt like his heart would explode if he didn't do something. Part of him wished he could talk to Mei. But he had already upset her enough. There had to be something else he could do. Then, it hit him.

After rushing through his gardening duties at the castle, he hurried out into the city to find the troupe.

Kasanoda skidded into the square just as the troupe finished the final scene of their performance. He fought through the crowd and dashed backstage just as Mori and Honey left the stage.

"Mori!" Kasanoda cried, throwing himself at the feet of the taciturn performer. "Teach me your ways! Please!"

Mori gazed at him in uncomprehending silence.

"That's exactly what I mean! You're in complete control of your emotions—you're so stoic that you can't even show surprise! I beg you to teach me your ways! Teach me how to control my emotions!" Kasanoda exclaimed, flinging his arms about Mori's legs.

Mori blinked, then exchanged a glance with Honey.

"Wait, Cassanova, why do you need to control your emotions?" Honey asked.

Kasanoda began to reply, then caught sight of Haruhi standing to one side of the stage while speaking to her fan club. He flinched as if he had been struck and muttered, "I just do. It's become a problem…recently."

"It couldn't hurt Bossanova to get better control of his emotions," the twins chorused, having happened on this scene a few seconds earlier. "After all, he's got kind of an explosive temper."

"What do you mean by that?" Kasanoda exclaimed.

The twins sighed. "Case in point."

"But Bossanova can't just break away from his emotions! He needs help!" Tamaki burst into the conversation the moment he came backstage.

"What kind of help?" Kasanoda asked as he stood.

"You need an alter-ego!" Tamaki exclaimed.

"Um, what?" Kasanoda started.

"Men—take Bossanova to the wagon! We have a costume change to perform!" Tamaki proclaimed.

"Yessir!" With that, the twins grabbed either one of Kasanoda's arms and marched him off to the wagon.

#

Haruhi finally extricated herself from her adoring fans and escaped backstage. She found it strangely deserted.

"Guys? Hello?" Yet she received no response. "Where is everyone?"

After looking through the entire backstage area to no avail, Haruhi meandered to the wagon. She picked up her commoner's clothes and started for the door of the wagon.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you," a voice cautioned out of nowhere. Haruhi snapped around and saw Kyoya stepping out from behind a stack of crates.

"Why shouldn't I?" she asked.

"The others are in there—apparently helping Kasanoda with…an alter-ego." Kyoya pushed his glasses up with one finger, a smug smirk at his lips.

"An alter-ego? Why on earth are they doing that?"

"I'm sure you'll find out."

Haruhi frowned and cast a glance around. She spotted Mori sitting on a crate with his chin resting in his hands. The dark-haired performer seemed to be a million miles away.

"Mori, is there something wrong?" She asked as she walked over to him.

"Everything's fine," Mori replied in a typical monotone.

"Why aren't you helping the others with Kasanoda?"

Mori looked to her with an expression that said: "Do you have to ask?"

Haruhi laughed a bit and perched on one of the nearby crates. "I understand. They do usually end up going a bit…over the top."

As if on cue, the curtain of the wagon drew back. Kaoru and Hikaru, garbed in herald's outfits, marched out of the wagon.

"Now presenting His Grace Cassanova—the Crimson Duke!" they announced.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the curtains wavered…

And Kasanoda abruptly stumbled out of the wagon.

Haruhi stared in disbelief. The gardener had been decked in a pink frock-coat and breeches, a massive curly powdered wig, white face powder and a pair of pink shoes with low heels and silver buckles.

Kasanoda sighed, his shoulders slumping as he turned back to the wagon. "How on earth is this supposed to help me?"

"Well it will never help you if you don't get into character!" Tamaki chided as he tossed the curtain of the wagon aside. "You're a flamboyant duke gifted with land, power and influence! Nothing can stop you! Feel the confidence flowing from the top of your wig to the tips of your toes!"

Kasanoda paused for a moment, as if attempting to follow Tamaki's direction. He shrugged helplessly.

"Oh, let me help you," Tamaki said. He rushed over to Kasanoda and began making adjustments to his posture. "Stand up straight, chin up! That's it! Now put your chest out with pride! Stand with your legs wide, but grounded! Don't lower your chin!"

Kasanoda final position resembled that of a rather unbalanced rooster. The twins tried to restrain themselves, but failed.

"He looks ridiculous, milord!" Hikaru cried.

"Bossanova, acting is not your forte for sure," Kaoru managed through his laughter.

Kasanoda winced and glared down at the cobblestones of the square.

"Hey, there's no reason to be so mean," Haruhi said, jumping down from her place on the crate.

Kasanoda whirled around, an expression of absolute horror washing over his face. "Haru—Haru—Haruki!"

"Look, I don't know why you guys think Cassanova needs an alter-ego, but I think he's perfectly fine as is," Haruhi declared.

The twins sobered abruptly. "What? Are you serious?"

"I am." Haruhi crossed over to Kasanoda and gestured to his costume. "You don't need any of this. It's silly. You should just be yourself—you don't have anything to prove to anyone."

Kasanoda's mouth opened, but only a slight croak would come out.

"But Haruki, Kasanoda said he wanted to be in control of his emotions," Tamaki explained. "We thought that if he was able to take on the personality of an alter-ego, he would have better control!"

Haruhi groaned and covered her eyes with one hand. "I know you mean well, Tamaki, but that's absolutely not the way to help him. It's just creating a mask that all of the emotions will get bottled up behind. It'll only make things worse."

"Then what do you suggest, Haruki?" Kasanoda asked with a pleading look.

Haruhi frowned and thought. She finally said, "I would suggest taking some time to yourself to think. Try to get to the root of why the emotion makes you uncomfortable. Realize that the discomfort will eventually pass. And if none of that helps, try to talk to a friend about it."

Kasanoda deflated. "I tried to talk to someone, but the topic upset them."

"Then talk to someone else. You can even talk to me if it helps," Haruhi offered.

Kasanoda's jaw dropped. "You—you'd—you'd do that for me?"

"Of course! Isn't that what friends are for?"

For a moment, Kasanoda gaped at her. The frozen moment dragged on.

But Kasanoda soon shook his head and straightened. "You're exactly right! That's just what _friends_ are for! Thank you so much, Hi—Haruki!"

Haruhi smiled. "I'm just glad I could help."

Kasanoda removed his wig and looked to Tamaki. "Thank you for trying to help. But I don't think I need all of this."

The gardener held the wig out to the troupe leader.

Tamaki grinned and took the wig. "As you wish, Bossanova. I believe you're taking sound advice. Haruki is wise beyond her years."

And so Kasanoda returned to the wagon and exchanged his costume for his regular clothes. When he emerged from the wagon, a hand took his shoulder. Kasanoda turned to Mori.

"Haruki's advice is good," Mori stated. "But talking doesn't always quiet the mind. Movement can."

At Kasanoda's puzzled expression, Mori continued, "Come to the music room tomorrow. I will teach you to fence."

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Haruhi rested her chin on her knees.**_

 _ **"I still remember dancing with him at balls when I was little. It was always so much fun."**_

 _ **Her eyes misted over as the memories took hold. Her father wasn't the only one she remembered dancing with during those long ago celebrations.**_

Seems as if Haruhi is reminiscing a bit! What will these memories hold? Check back Monday to find out!


	55. Chapter 55: The Bachelor King

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **Penstar1331:** Excellent deduction! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **tmwillson3:** Oh my-I hadn't thought about the outfit being inspired by something Tamaki had worn. And now I'm getting images of Tamaki fussing over his royal portrait _a la_ Louis XIV. Don't worry-Kasanoda's apprenticeship shall continue! Thanks for the suggestions about Mei and Misuzu-I'll keep them in mind! And thank you for the comment/follow on DA, it's very much appreciated!

 **MagicQuill42:** Aw, thank you so much! I'm so glad you're still enjoying this fic so much!

 **QueenRainbow:** Absolutely-poor Kasanoda. Your vote for a backstory chapter has been noted and thank you very much!

 **lillyannp:** Oops! Good catch! I've corrected the error. And Arai very well make an appearance in the next chapter!

 **DiamondSparkle42:** Your train of thought is _very_ close. All will be revealed in this chapter and the next!

Also, this fic just hit 200 reviews! Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to this number! The next "real landmark" is 250 reviews, but I felt that kudos needed to be given for this mini-landmark!

So, the reader question is up for a change this week. The arc regarding Haruhi's birthday is coming up very soon. Thus, I would like to know: **what birthday related celebrations would you guys like to see?** I have two major events in mind, but I'd love to hear more opinions!

The Reader Wishlist topic is the same this update. The topic is... **Mei and Misuzu!** Let me know what you'd like to see with these two!

Unfortunately, there's going to be a bit of a change to the update schedule for this week and potentially for the next few weeks. Some of you may have heard of something called National Novel Writing Month (AKA Nanowrimo). This is an event in which writers try to write 50,000 words on a brand new original novel in thirty days. This year, I'm participating in the November event for the first time (I have participated in two Camp Nanos already, but those events have less strict requirements.) To make November's work a little easier, I'm also doing Nano prep (outlining, character development, etc.) for the entire month of October. At the same time, I'm trying to finish a rewrite of another original novel before November so I can concentrate solely on the new novel. All this means that my workload is getting a little out of hand. So, I may have to cut back to one update a week on this fic for a little while. That's not set in stone as I'm going to continue writing on this fic to see if I can get ahead of the schedule. For now, I only see the cut back definitely occurring for the next week. Long story short, **the next update will be on _next_ Monday instead of this Thursday.**

Now, onto the next chapter-in which the princess reminisces!

* * *

With the princess's birthday fast approaching, Ryoji decided to involve _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ in the birthday celebration plans. The troupe had gleefully accepted the challenge of finding out what the princess would like. But, their task proved to be a greater challenge than they thought.

"There's nothing that I want," Haruhi declared when the troupe came to her chambers for tea.

"What?" the troupe chorused.

"Surely you're kidding," Hikaru said. "Everyone has _something_ they want to do on their birthday!"

"And you could do anything," Kaoru added.

"Really, Haruhi, there has to be something. You'll only turn eighteen once!" Tamaki cried.

Haruhi shrugged. "If there is, I can't think of it."

"Then why don't we make suggestions?" Honey chirped.

"If you want to, you're welcome to," Haruhi said.

"What about a ball? A huge gala event for the entire castle!" Tamaki clapped his hands together, mind already whirling with ideas.

"Please not that."

At this statement, the troupe looked curiously to the princess.

"Why not?" Kaoru asked.

"We haven't had a ball like that in years. And Yuko would just ruin it anyway. You know one time, Dad was being silly and started dancing around the Great Hall with me. Yuko saw us and said such behavior was 'unbecoming of a monarch and his daughter,'" Haruhi explained.

"That's ridiculous!" Tamaki exclaimed. "There's nothing wrong with a father dancing with his daughter!"

"Tell Yuko that." Haruhi leaned against the arm of the couch and rested her chin in her palm. "I still remember dancing with him at balls when I was little. It was always so much fun."

Her eyes misted over as the memories took hold. Her father wasn't the only one she remembered dancing with during those long ago celebrations.

#

Queen Kotoko surveyed the glimmering ballroom before her with a smile. She leaned against the railing of the overlook.

" _I can't believe it's been over five years already."_

And the past half-decade had seen a number of changes in the castle at Shikanai. A few months after Kotoko's presentation to Ryoji's parents, King Itsuki fell ill with heart trouble. The court healers declared that the illness had been brought on by the king's choleric temperament. Their suggestion for a cure: a quieter lifestyle with minimal agitation. But such a remedy would be impossible to attain while Itsuki remained king.

King Itsuki resisted this proposal with an enraged stubbornness. Yet, his health continued to decline and the symptoms worsened. Eventually, he was forced to relent and passed the crown to Ryoji.

Ryoji immediately selected Princess Haruka as his primary advisor. So the princess remained at the court in Shikanai when Itsuki and Emi retired to their quiet country estate.

After Ryoji's coronation, the new king struggled to find a way to make Kotoko his queen. A marriage between a king and a commoner was a delicate matter and there were few ways to legalize such a union. But Kotoko dug through the history of Ichio's courts until a solution was uncovered.

They were married the following spring and the people welcomed their new queen with open arms.

The next few years passed in peace and prosperity. Ryoji rid the kingdom of the decrees that burdened his people. Kotoko passed an edict to allow women to apprentice in any field they wished. But of all of the changes that came to Shikanai, one proved to be a greater joy to the royal couple than all others.

"Mommy, mommy!"

Kotoko emerged from her reverie to see the light of her world galloping down the hall towards her. The queen knelt, opened her arms and twirled the princess into the air.

"Hello sweetheart! Are you excited for your first ball?"

"I am!" Haruhi's face turned serious as she leaned towards her mother's ear. "But this dress is scratchy!"

Kotoko laughed and pushed a stray hair out of her daughter's eyes. "I know. You won't have to wear it for long."

"And how are my two beloved ladies tonight?" Kotoko turned to her husband with a smile. He grinned and swept them both into an embrace.

"Daddy! What is this ball going to be like?" Haruhi asked.

"Well, there's going to be feasting and dancing and laughing," Ryoji stated.

Haruhi's eyes shone with glee. "It's just like my storybooks!"

"Exactly! So, shall we?" Ryoji took his daughter in one arm and offered his wife the other. And with that, they descended the stairs into the ballroom.

The night began with announcements of all of the nobility that had arrived for the ball. Most of these individuals were from Ichio. A few came from the surrounding kingdoms. But one announcement surprised even the king and queen.

"Now presenting King Yuzuru Suoh of Alsance!"

Ryoji glanced to the stairs curiously as a dark haired man descended them. "Ah, so the bachelor king decided to make an appearance after all! I never thought he would show when we sent the invite!"

"That's quite interesting," Kotoko said.

"Mommy, who's that?" Haruhi wriggled into Kotoko's lap and pointed to the man descending the stairs.

"He's King Yuzuru. He rules another kingdom called Alsance," Kotoko explained. "If you meet him tonight, you're to curtsey to him. It's good manners to do so when meeting a king."

Haruhi nodded. She sat through the rest of the announcements in silence.

But the moment the last noble had been announced, the orchestra started into a gleeful tune. Ryoji rose from his throne and bowed to Kotoko. Kotoko passed Haruhi to one of her ladies-in-waiting before joining her husband in the first dance.

As they swept about the room, Kotoko took in all the smiling faces and her heart swelled with joy.

"It's wonderful to see everyone so happy," she said.

"It is. Who would have thought a young lady apprenticed to a lawyer and a boy slinking about the city in petticoats could have managed this?" Ryoji asked.

Kotoko laughed.

But Ryoji held her gaze and said, "I am serious, Koto. I would have never been able to do all of this without you. I don't know how I would _keep_ doing any of this without you."

"Well, let's hope you never have to find out," she replied.

Once the royal couple tired of dancing, they passed into the crowd to greet their guests. King Yuzuru was among the first to speak to them. The bachelor king bowed and Ryoji and Kotoko bowed and curtseyed in return.

"Yuzuru, how are you?" Ryoji asked. "It's a pleasant surprise to have you here!"

"It's a pleasant surprise for me to be here," Yuzuru replied. "Your kingdom truly is lovely. As is your queen."

Kotoko blushed, but nodded. "Thank you."

"I've heard amazing things about Ichio these days. Seems as if progress is being made by leaps and bounds. I may need to take lessons on how to rule," Yuzuru said.

"You sell yourself short! I've heard that Alsance is doing quite well," Ryoji said.

"Ah, but nothing like what I've heard and seen so far. Take this gala! It's quite a feat in itself! How do you two manage it?" Yuzuru asked.

Kotoko and Ryoji looked to each other for a moment, then chorused, "Teamwork."

Yuzuru chuckled. "I see!"

But a voice soon chimed out, interrupting their conversation: "Daddy!"

A few courtiers parted and Haruhi skipped towards them. Yet as the young princess did, Yuzuru took a step back.

Haruhi collided with the monarch's knee. Yuzuru glanced down in surprise. The princess gazed up at him, a solemn look on her face. Without another word, she dropped into a curtsey. "Your Majesty."

Yuzuru let out a hearty laugh that rang throughout the entire room. "Should I expect anything less of Ryoji and Kotoko's daughter?" he asked.

He turned and offered Haruhi a bow. "Princess Haruhi, how are you?"

"I'm well," Haruhi replied.

The bachelor king laughed again. "There, go to your parents now. Let me look at the royal family of Ichio."

Yuzuru's hand hovered behind Haruhi's back as he guided her to her parents. At this gesture, Kotoko resisted the urge to cock her head to one side. She had seen that before…But where?

For a moment, Yuzuru surveyed the royal trio. "Yes, the family resemblance is there! Princess Haruhi will grow up to be a beautiful and intelligent woman like her mother, I'm sure."

"I certainly hope so," Ryoji said. "But Yuzuru, when will Alsance see a queen? Surely you don't want to remain a bachelor forever."

Kotoko saw a cloud pass over Yuzuru's face. A glimmer of pain reflected in his eyes despite his grin. Kotoko immediately began to think…So much so that she almost missed Yuzuru's next statement.

"Oh, it will all happen in time. I'm not one to rush fate."

"Then I wish that fate speeds along for you. You should have a good queen beside you," Ryoji said.

Again, that pained glimmer returned. Yuzuru's right hand reached for his left ring finger as if searching for a ring that wasn't there. "Thank you, Ryoji. That means a great deal."

Yet something appeared to catch Yuzuru's attention across the room. "Ah, seems my advisor needs me. A good evening to you all!"

So Kotoko watched as the bachelor king strode away from them. She watched and wondered about that glimmer of pain in the king's eyes and the ring that wasn't there.

As the orchestra started into another cheerful song, Ryoji cast a glance out across the floor, then down at his daughter. With a smile, he bowed and offered his hand to Haruhi. "May I have this dance?"

Haruhi giggled and curtseyed. "You may."

And with that, the king and the princess danced into the whirl of swirling couples on the floor. Kotoko cheered them on and soon joined her daughter in a dance.

The night held just what Ryoji had promised: feasting, dancing and laughter.

#

After the ball, the royal family said goodnight to the court and went to retire to their chambers.

"That was just like a story!" Haruhi exclaimed as she skipped down the hall ahead of her parents.

"I'm very glad you enjoyed it," Kotoko said.

As their daughter continued on, singing and skipping, Ryoji said, "Well, what do you think of the bachelor king?"

"He's a very charming man. But…"

Ryoji raised an eyebrow at her. "But what?"

"Did you see the look on his face when you mentioned he needed a queen? He seemed sad," Kotoko said.

"I think that's understandable considering his situation."

"But Ryo, it was more than that. I can't explain it. It's almost as if…as if he were in love!"

Ryoji let out a snort of a laugh. "Please, Koto. I highly doubt that's the case."

Haruhi came skipping back to them and paused for a moment to fall in beside them. Ryoji reached down and placed a hand on Haruhi's back to guide her to one side.

Kotoko suddenly realized where she had seen Yuzuru's gesture with Haruhi before. With this realization, the pained look and the ring that wasn't there suddenly made sense. She let out a long breath.

"What is it?" Ryoji asked.

"I think Yuzuru is in love. He may even be married. And I think he has a child," Kotoko said.

Ryoji snapped to a stop and stared at her. "What?"

"Did you see how he was with Haruhi? He put a hand on her back, just like you did. It's a paternal instinct."

"That's just conjecture—"

"Call it a woman's intuition then. But I'm almost sure he has a child."

"Koto, that would be a huge scandal!"

"It wouldn't be the first time a monarch had an illegitimate child. Perhaps he can't marry the mother for some reason. Or he can't make her his queen. Naturally he would be upset when you mentioned he needed a queen. That would make it all make sense."

Ryoji passed a hand over his face. "More sense than I would like it to…"

"Oh Ryo, I never knew you were such a prude," Kotoko teased.

"I'm not a prude!" Ryoji exclaimed. "I couldn't care less what anyone else does in their private lives. It's society that's so prudish! Society demands adherence to these ridiculous rules that won't allow a monarch to marry as they wish."

At this, Ryoji cast a slightly despairing look at their daughter. "And that's the problem with everything, isn't it? The rules can be so ridiculous…"

Kotoko sighed and took his arm. From the moment Haruhi was born, they had worried over the line of succession. Even if they had another child, Kotoko refused to let her daughter be treated like Princess Haruka. But changing the laws was proving to be slower work than Kotoko had anticipated. In spite of this, she said, "We'll fix it. I promise. I won't have Haruhi bound by such insane traditions. I will change the laws if it's the last thing I do."

Ryoji smiled slightly. "I know you will, Koto. I know."

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"May I ask a rather impertinent question without causing a war between our kingdoms?" Kotoko asked.**_

 _ **Yuzuru chuckled. "If I declared war over every impertinent question I was asked, Alsance would never be at peace. Ask away."**_

 _ **"Are you in love?"**_

 _ **Again, that pained glimmer returned to Yuzuru's eyes.**_

Seems as if our queen is on the verge of extracting a confession. What will she learn? Check back next Monday to find out!


	56. Chapter 56: The Bachelor King's Secret

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses kick us off!

 **QueenRainbow:** Thank you very much! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **tmwillson3:** I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And I love the idea of the cake-I think that would suit the host club's original randomness quite well! Unfortunately, as far as shipping goes, I'm not at liberty to say anything more than I will attempt to do the original manga's various relationships justice. And now I'm going to go duct tape my mouth shut before I ruin any future plot details.

 **Penstar1331:** Aw, thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!

 **lillyannp:** Thank you! The answer to both of your comments will be found in this chapter!

 **MagicQuill42:** I'm sorry! I couldn't help myself! But I was wondering if anyone would pick up on that comment, so excellent catch there!

 **Adelaide's Anagram:** Goodness, excuse me while I try not to melt into a puddle at such high praise! Thank you so much-that really is a huge compliment. And thank you for all of those ideas on character dynamics. I think I have at least half of those planned as aspects in later chapters, but unfortunately, their related plot points are set during the end of the winter/early spring. Considering that the fic would be in late January at this point (shortly before Haruhi's birthday), it may take a few chapters to reach them. As for Tamaki's 'commoner status,' our disguised king has his reasons for clinging to his commoner's identity. Thank you very much for your review and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

With the change in schedule, both the reader question and the Reader Wishlist topic are up for a change! This week, I've been looking forward to the next few chapters which will center around Haruhi's birthday. One element that I wanted to see expanded upon in the original anime and manga was Haruhi's "interaction" with her mother (the main and possibly only example being the end of "Haruhi In Wonderland.") I'm toying with the idea of doing something similar (though it likely will not be a dream/daydeam) and I'd like to know: **Would you guys like to see Kotoko's presence at all in the main action arc?** Right now, I'm leaning towards a supernatural/magical aspect if that aids in your decision. I'd love to know your thoughts so send them in!

And the Reader Wishlist topic this week is... **Kaoru!** I feel like Kaoru rarely got the limelight in the original anime and manga without his brother being involved to a serious degree. I am definitely interested in exploring each twin's personality on an individual level and to me, Kaoru is the harder of the two to work with. So, what would you guys like to see? Headcanons, scenarios or even just personality aspects are all welcome fodder!

Unfortunately, it looks like I may be on a one update per week schedule for a bit longer. I don't want to predict any further than next week at the moment as I do have a few days that will hopefully mostly center on writing for all of my projects. So, for now, the next update will be **next Monday.** Thank you all for bearing with me while I get things sorted out!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which the bachelor king's secret is discovered!

* * *

A crack of thunder woke the queen of Ichio from her slumber in the early hours of the morning. She rubbed at her eyes and blearily rose, pulling on a robe as she did. She left her sleeping husband in their chambers as the rain began to fall and lightning flashed.

As Kotoko expected, Haruhi stood at the door to her parents' chambers. The princess shuddered as another rumble of thunder crashed above them.

"Mama…" Haruhi mumbled.

Kotoko hugged her. "It's all right, sweetie. It's just a thunderstorm. It can't hurt you."

"But I'm scared…"

Kotoko rubbed her daughter's back. "It's nothing to be afraid of. I promise. But do you want to stay in our room until it's over?"

Haruhi nodded.

So Kotoko led Haruhi to their chambers and tucked her into the empty side of the massive bed. For a moment, the queen considered returning to bed as well. But she knew that sleep would be difficult to come by after waking in such a manner. Thus, Kotoko went to find her cure-all remedy: a good book.

Yet when the queen entered the library, she found it occupied.

Yuzuru Suoh glanced up from his book and nodded in deference. "Kotoko, it's certainly an unexpected pleasure."

"You're having trouble sleeping as well?" Kotoko asked.

Yuzuru laughed. This time, it wasn't the rich, ringing peals of laughter that had reverberated through the ballroom. Instead, it was a single note of bitterness. "I haven't slept well in eight years. But as they say, 'uneasy is the head that wears a crown.'"

At that, Kotoko bit her lip. She took a seat in one of the chairs near Yuzuru's and folded her hands in her lap. "You seem sad."

A rueful smile twitched at Yuzuru's lips. "It's that obvious?"

"I wouldn't say that. I've merely caught glimpses of it until now."

"Good. I've done my best to conceal it." Yuzuru covered his eyes with one hand. "But when one wakes alone in a echoing bedchamber and the other side of the bed is still unbearably empty, it's difficult to push it away."

Kotoko tried to ignore the next question that rose to her lips. She didn't want to cause the distressed monarch more pain, but her curiosity demanded an answer. "May I ask a rather impertinent question without causing a war between our kingdoms?"

At that, Yuzuru chuckled a bit. "If I declared war over every impertinent question I was asked, Alsance would never be at peace. Ask away."

"Are you in love?"

Again, that pained glimmer returned to Yuzuru's eyes. "I suppose I should have expected that a queen would read my situation so quickly. Yes, I am in love. In love and married to a woman who I will never be able to make my queen."

Kotoko leaned forward in her seat. "Why wouldn't you be able to make her queen?"

"She is one of the de Grantaines—a wealthy family, but members of the landed gentry. I think if she had been a commoner, it would have been easier. But her family name sparks jealousy on one side and snobbish condescension on the other. I want my court and my people to accept her. I know she would be beloved if given the chance." Yuzuru twisted his left ring finger with his right hand. "I can't even wear the ring she gave me on our wedding day. It would cause too much suspicion. Being away from her is agony."

"There's a child as well?"

Yuzuru glanced up in surprise. "How on earth did you figure that out?"

"Call it mother's intuition recognizing paternal instinct," Kotoko replied.

"Ah. You're correct. I have a son, Tamaki. He's not much older than your daughter. He and my wife are living in a small seaside town in Alsance called Caldeaux. We thought it would be best for them to stay in a quiet place like that to escape any potential scandal. I try to visit them as much as I can, but getting away from the court is always a feat. We write, of course, but I still miss them both terribly."

Kotoko nodded with a frown as she stared out the window at the falling rain. Her mind worked over this puzzle carefully. Perhaps…

"I might have a solution," she started hesitantly.

Yuzuru looked to her with wide eyes. "What is it? I will try anything at this point."

"I'm not sure if Alsance's laws will be similar to Ichio's. And I may very well have the wrong name for it in your kingdom. It is, after all, a fairly old law rooted in even older customs," Kotoko warned.

"That doesn't matter. I will ferret it out myself. But I must have a place to begin," Yuzuru replied.

"I think in Alsance, it will be called _le droit du roi._ The law was originally put into place in times of civil war and unrest between political factions. In those times, a king was allowed to choose a bride who would be considered 'beneath his social rank' in order to prevent one faction from gaining too much influence. But the way the law is written—at least here in Ichio—the only requirement is that the king be under 'great duress' if forced to choose a wife from the 'suitable ranks.'"

Yuzuru stared at her, slack-jawed. "How did you find this?"

'It took months of searching through old law texts. Ryoji used the same law to legitimize our marriage and prevent anyone from contesting the union in an attempt to make a claim on the throne. Which, in our case, may have been unnecessary. But I believe it could help you."

"I think it might," Yuzuru stated. Kotoko couldn't help smiling at the hopeful gleam in his eyes.

Yuzuru rose from his seat. "Thank you, Kotoko. I can't tell you how much this means to me. I will look into it at once."

"I'm simply glad I could give you some hope. If you are able to make things work, please let Ryoji and me know."

"Absolutely! In fact, if it works, I may bring Anne-Sophie and Tamaki with me to visit you next time," Yuzuru declared.

Kotoko laughed. "We would be happy to meet them both."

"Beyond that, I feel that a formal alliance between our kingdoms may be in order. We've always been on good terms, but it's silly not to have it in writing."

"Ichio would be lucky to have such an alliance. I'll discuss the matter with Ryo and hopefully we can begin the process soon."

Yuzuru beamed at her. "I wish both of you the best of luck. Ichio is prospering under your care."

"We wish you luck as well. I hope that your endeavors run smoothly," Kotoko said.

With that, the "bachelor king" offered a bow to Ichio's queen and exited the library.

#

The next morning, the storm was nothing more than a memory and the castle stood under a clear blue sky. The royal family saw their guests off and wished them safe travels. Yuzuru expressed warm farewells to them all and bounded into his carriage, almost floating on air. As Alsance's royal carriage rode away, Ryoji said, "It seems as if Alsance's monarch is in high spirits today. I wonder what could have happened last night."

But Ryoji soon caught the hint of a smile that Kotoko failed to conceal. "You know what happened, don't you?"

"I do, but it's not a matter to discuss here," Kotoko replied.

"Then let us find a place in which to discuss it," Ryoji said.

Halfway to their destination, a young boy with a pleasant face and brown hair emerged from one of the corridors. He sighted the royal family, smiled widely and bowed.

"Hello Arai," Ryoji said.

"Good morning, Majesties. Would Her Highness have time to visit the southern courtyard today?" the boy asked.

Kotoko glanced down to see Haruhi staring up at her with a silent but imploring gaze. The queen laughed. "Of course. Go play, Haruhi. But stay in the courtyard."

"Yes mama!" With that, Haruhi joined Arai and the two ran out to the courtyard, giggling.

Ryoji and Kotoko walked to one of the balconies that looked down on the courtyard. Once there, Kotoko explained her early-morning visit with Yuzuru.

"I can't believe it! Remind me never to doubt your instinct again!" Ryoji exclaimed, running his hands over his face.

"I hope he's able to find the law we spoke of. I think it would only help Alsance," Kotoko said. "You know, he mentioned that he would eventually like to formalize an alliance."

Ryoji cast a glance down at Haruhi playing in the courtyard and stiffened. "With all this talk of his son, surely he's not implying that the alliance will be formalized in the _traditional_ manner."

At that, Kotoko burst out laughing. "Ryo, darling, you can't be so rigid. Haruhi will probably want to marry _someday_."

"That day will be as far away as I can manage to make it and not a moment sooner," Ryoji proclaimed. "And only the greatest of men will be allowed to court her!"

Kotoko shook her head with a smile. "If you're this protective now, I'll hate to see what happens when she becomes a teenager."

Ryoji froze and Kotoko giggled.

"Koto, that's not funny."

But upon seeing his expression, Kotoko started to laugh harder. "Oh, she'll be fine, Ryo. She is our daughter."

"That's exactly why I'm worried."

Kotoko managed to restrain her giggles and took his arm. "I don't understand why. I don't think our situation turned out too badly."

Ryoji looked down at her, a smile playing at his lips. "You know, you do have a point."

He leaned down to her and they kissed.

When they parted, the king of Ichio wrapped an arm around his queen. Kotoko rested her head against his shoulder with a content sigh. And the monarchs watched as their daughter capered about in the sunny courtyard.

* * *

And that brings our arc with Kotoko and Ryoji to a close! I could go on, but I'm afraid I see very few ways to continue without veering into sad or painful territory. Since this is a lighthearted fantasy fic, I don't think that's the direction you guys would want me to go in. But, if I'm wrong, feel free to correct me!

So, the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Maybe we could put on some kind of magic show for her," Hikaru suggested.**_

 _ **"Or maybe we could do a special play!" Honey chimed in.**_

 _ **"Should we ask Mei what she thinks we should do?" Kaoru asked.**_

 _ **Noticing Tamaki's silence, Kyoya prompted, "Tamaki, you've been unusually quiet. Surely you have something to add."**_

 _ **Tamaki, however, was still staring off into space.**_

 _ **"Milord! Are you listening to a thing we're saying?" Kaoru exclaimed.**_

 _ **"Of course," Tamaki replied absently.**_

So what has the troupe's king so preoccupied? And what could it mean for the princess's birthday celebrations? Check back next Monday to find out!


	57. Chapter 57: The Jester's Suggestion

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well. Review responses are up first!

 **Penstar1331:** So glad you enjoyed it! Some of Tamaki's plan will be revealed in this chapter-but the true hijinks are yet to come!

 **whathappensafter:** Very happy to hear you've liked it! And thank you for your response!

 **tmwillson3:** I couldn't help myself. Ryoji seems like the eternally overprotective type. As for what came of Kotoko and Yuzuru's conversation, that will potentially be revealed in later chapters. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **MagicQuill42:** It is quite similar-which is more by accident than by design. Thank you for your response!

 **J Luc Pitard:** Thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoyed it and it's good to hear from you again!

So, the reader question is up for a change this week. I've realized that Nekozawa has gotten a touch lost in the last few arcs. Thus, I would like to know: **what would you like Nekozawa to give Haruhi for her birthday?** I'm curious to hear your thoughts so please send them in!

For this week, I am going to continue with the same Reader Wishlist topic which is **Kaoru!** Head canons, scenarios or even scenes from the original anime or manga that you'd like to see a twist on are all welcome!

I'm afraid that the one-week update schedule may continue for a bit longer. Hopefully, November will prove to be a bit calmer and we'll be able to return to the twice a week update schedule. So, the next update will be **next Monday!**

Now, onto the next chapter, in which a certain jester hatches a plan!

* * *

Following the troupe's discussion with the princess about birthday plans, Tamaki turned unusually quiet. The others tossed about ideas of surprise parties and enormous cakes in the Great Hall, but the leader of the troupe remained silent.

"Maybe we could put on some kind of magic show for her," Hikaru suggested.

"Or maybe we could do a special play!" Honey chimed in.

"Should we ask Mei what she thinks we should do?" Kaoru asked.

Noticing Tamaki's silence, Kyoya prompted, "Tamaki, you've been unusually quiet. Surely you have something to add."

Tamaki, however, was still staring off into space.

"Milord! Are you listening to a thing we're saying?" Kaoru exclaimed.

"Of course," Tamaki replied absently.

The others exchanged an exasperated look, surprised that their leader would take such a careless attitude towards a chance to impress the princess.

"Um, wouldn't it be a good idea for us to come up for _something_ to do for Haruhi's birthday?" Honey asked.

Tamaki suddenly snapped up in his seat, banging a hand on the table nearby. "That's it! I have it!"

The rest of the troupe exchanged a blank look.

"What?"

Tamaki vaulted up from his place and strode for the doors of the Great Hall. "I'll explain on the way! We need to see Queen Ranka immediately!"

The other members shrugged at each other before running after their leader.

"Milord, what are you talking about? Why do we need to see the queen?" Hikaru called as they hurried after Tamaki.

"Haruhi mentioned wanting to dance with her father again, didn't she?" Tamaki answered as he strode down the hall.

"Um, I don't think she did," Kaoru muttered.

"Maybe she didn't _say_ it, but she _implied_ it!"

"I don't understand!" Honey complained.

They reached the monarch's chamber just as Misuzu stepped out.

"Misuzu, we need to see His Majesty immediately," Tamaki declared. "We have an idea for the princess's birthday celebration!"

At this news, Misuzu brightened. "Oh, you do? Excellent! Ranka has been racking his brains. I'm sure he would be happy to entertain any suggestions. Let me announce you!"

Misuzu threw open the doors again and proclaimed, "Ranka, _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ is here to see you. They say they have an idea of what to do for Haruhi's birthday."

"Show them in! Show them in!" The queen's voice urged.

Misuzu held the door open and Tamaki paraded into the chambers with the others following hesitantly behind him.

"Majesty, I think I know what we should do for Her Highness's birthday," Tamaki began.

Ranka folded his hands and leaned forward on his desk. "By all means, suggest away."

"We should have a grand ball."

Ranka's eager expression fell instantly. "Tamaki, I'm sure you're aware that Haruhi has already rejected such an idea."

"Yes Majesty—I'm quite aware. But now, I know _why_ she rejected it. If Your Majesty would allow me to explain, I have an idea for a quite different kind of grand ball. And—with Your Majesty's permission and cooperation—I have a plan that I believe would be a very welcome surprise for Her Highness."

Apparently intrigued, Ranka fixed Tamaki with a hard glance. "Proceed."

#

Within the next few days, the castle began to bustle with activity. The staff were all informed of the birthday plans in order to make the necessary preparations. However, at Tamaki's request, the courtiers were kept in the dark. This led to a great deal of taunting and teasing as the staff members lorded their secret knowledge over their court companions.

Haruhi emerged into one of the castle's main halls one day to behold some of these preparations. Footmen rushed to and fro with boxes that chimed and clinked with what Haruhi could only imagine to be decorations. Maids danced through the halls, giggling as they fluttered tablecloths behind them like capes.

Haruhi stopped one of the butlers. "Excuse me, what is all of this?"

"Preparations for your birthday, Highness," the butler replied.

"Ah. Thank you. Please, continue," Haruhi said. As the butler walked on, Haruhi cast a glance at the scene around her. It looked terribly familiar. Almost like preparations for…

A few moments later, Haruhi threw open the doors to her father's chambers. "Dad! I thought you were giving control of the birthday plans to the troupe."

"I did," Ranka replied. "This is what they wanted to do."

Haruhi sighed. "I thought I told them that I didn't want a big ball…"

Ranka strode over to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "Oh, now don't look so glum! I promise you'll enjoy their spin on the event."

"What is it?" Haruhi asked, suspicion edging her voice.

"You'll find out tonight with everyone else!" Ranka exclaimed with a chuckle.

That night, Haruhi sat in her chair, waiting impatiently for the announcement. The court seemed to be just as restless as they shifted about and murmured.

Tamaki soon stepped in front of the curtain. "I'm sure that everyone is wondering about the activity that's occurred in the castle recently. We promise that all we be revealed after tonight's show," he announced. "But if you have a keen eye, you might have a hint before the end of our play."

With a mysterious smile, the troupe's leader disappeared behind the curtain.

The scene opened with Kaoru reprising his role as a young nobleman named _Flavio_. He paced within his chambers, lamenting. The nobleman moaned that he was forbidden from seeing his lover, _Isabella,_ by his overbearing parents. Yet these same parents demanded that _Flavio_ help plan a fête for his eighteenth birthday. The young man moped about the room, wondering how he would ever celebrate without his "sweet _Isabella_."

As the young nobleman sulked, _Arlecchino,_ dressed in a valet's uniform, entered the room. Upon seeing his master so distraught, _Arlecchino_ inquired what the issue was. _Flavio_ related his tale, ending with the proclamation that "even if _Isabella_ could attend, she would be turned away by my parents."

 _Arlecchino_ listened carefully, apparently in deep thought. He then asked if the celebration's theme had been chosen. _Flavio_ replied that it had not. At this, _Arlecchino_ grinned and guaranteed that _Isabella_ would attend the party.

The next scene revealed Hikaru, playing _Isabella_ , at the market. A moment later, the edge of a red dress entered the scene. The audience roared with laughter and applauded as _Arlecchino_ came onto the stage in the dress he had used to portray Arlecchinetta. The disguised manservant took a surprised _Isabella_ aside, apologizing for the disguise and secrecy. He then extended an invite to _Flavio's_ birthday party. _Isabella_ hesitated, knowing that _Flavio's_ parents did not approve of her. _Arlecchino_ nodded, then whispered something to _Isabella_. At this, _Isabella_ smiled brilliantly and declared _Arlecchino's_ genius. The valet grinned and offered the slightest bow to his master's lady.

The curtain drew back to a glittering ballroom. _Flavio's_ parents, played by Mori and Honey (again garbed in the pink dress he had worn to portray _Pedrolina_ ), were first on the scene. Honey fussed about with various decorations as other guests, played by castle staff members that the troupe had invited to take part in the play, arrived. They spread across the ballroom. Then, in one moment of mechanical precision, the guests raised masks to their faces. At this, Haruhi blinked. Surely this was not the hint.

 _Isabella_ , escorted by _Arlecchino,_ arrived next. The lady donned a silver and black mask and disappeared into the crowd, unnoticed by _Flavio's_ parents.

 _Flavio_ soon joined the party in a gold and red mask. He scanned the room anxiously until _Arlecchino_ pointed out _Isabella._ The lovers united in the center of the ballroom and danced about the entire night. Yet as the party came to a close, _Flavio_ cast a glance about the room. He suddenly grabbed _Isabella's_ hand and asked if they could run away together. _Isabella_ giggled in disbelief at first, then seeing that _Flavio_ was serious, agreed. _Arlecchino_ swept in and escorted the young lovers out before _Flavio's_ parents could protest.

The audience cheered as the curtains closed on this final scene. The troupe strode in front of the curtain and bowed. Tamaki then took a step toward the throne.

"Some of you may already have an inkling of the true nature of the preparations. Without further ado, I would like to announce that the princess's birthday will be celebrated…with a masquerade ball!"

A series of gasps rose up through the court followed by a cheerful babble.

"Oh a ball! It's been so long since we've had a ball!"

"It's been so long that I don't know if I can remember how to dance!"

"A masquerade ball! This will be so much fun!"

Haruhi was smiling in spite of herself. Yes, it might have been a ball, but the troupe obviously had a way to deter Yuko's protests. She glanced over at her father, who grinned at her.

As the excitement calmed, Tamaki added, "As part of the fun, our troupe will be conducting dance lessons in the Great Hall for the next week during the afternoon. Everyone is welcome, regardless of skill or ability."

This caused another wave of chatter to rise up from the court. Court ladies elbowed their male friends with imploring smiles.

Seeing the enthusiasm of the courtiers, Tamaki grinned. But when he saw the smile at the lips of the princess, he felt like dancing himself. He crossed his fingers and prayed that all of their other plans would go as smoothly.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Now, if everyone would give it a try," Tamaki encouraged.**_

 _ **The students took their close stances, some giggling and others blushing as they did. As the music continued, Tamaki walked about the room, making small corrections here and there. They gradually caught on to swirling across the floor and Tamaki returned to Haruhi.**_

 _ **As they swept about the room, Haruhi fell into the rhythm of the dance.**_

 _ **"Tamaki, what is this dance?" she asked.**_

 _ **"Oh, I didn't even mention the name, did I? It's called a waltz! Quite popular in Alsance—especially, from what I hear, in the king's court."**_

 _ **"It's definitely different. But it is fun," Haruhi admitted.**_

 _ **Tamaki beamed at her. "I had hoped you would enjoy it, Highness."**_

So, what will come of the waltz between our disguised king and the princess? Check back next Monday to find out!


	58. Chapter 58: The Dance Lesson

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses kick us off first!

 **MagicQuill42:** No, the lantern idea makes perfect sense! I completely understand what you're talking about and I love it!

 **Penstar1331:** I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I hope you like this chapter just as much!

 **ananda . samsara** : Aw, thank you so much. That's a huge compliment and I'm so glad to hear it made you smile!

 **swimmer1102:** I thought that a masquerade might be fun for the readers! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **lillyannp:** A fangirl squeal? I must have hit on something with that masquerade! May the next chapter prove to be just as enjoyable!

 **tmwillson3:** Agreed on all points! I will keep all of your suggestions in mind! And as for the dance lesson, it may not quite be a private lesson...but there's more fun to come, I promise!

 **winggoddess:** I am so glad to hear you're enjoying it! I'm looking forward to seeing what you think of the rest of the fic. Thank you so much for your reviews!

This update, I'm going to keep the reader question the same while changing the Reader Wishlist topic. So, as I asked last week, **what would you like Nekozawa to give Haruhi for her birthday?** Any and all opinions are welcome!

The Reader Wishlist topic this week is... **Hikaru** **!** The more mischievous twin is getting some attention this week. I feel like I do have more to work with concerning the original material and Hikaru, but I still would like to hear from you guys! So headcanons and scenarios are all welcome-please send in your thoughts!

Now, the one update per week schedule is going to continue for another week as I am going to be at a weeklong conference. As I said before, hopefully November will see the return of the twice a week updates! The next update will be... **next Monday!**

So onto the next chapter-in which a certain jester teaches Ichio's court a new dance!

* * *

The next afternoon, the Great Hall filled with courtiers and staff eager for a dance lesson. A small assembly of musicians had already been gathered. The musicians' harmonious tuning mixed in with the chatter and laughter of the court.

"Kazukiyo, why do you look so nervous?" Momoka asked as they awaited the troupe's appearance.

"It's—uh—it's been a long time since I've done any dancing," Kazukiyo said.

"It's fine! You can be my partner," Momoka replied.

"I'm afraid I have two left feet," Kazukiyo confessed.

Momoka smiled. "Oh, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Tamaki's voice resounded through the room, followed by the tap-tap-tap of a baton on one of the music stands. The guests hushed and turned expectantly to face the troupe gathered at the front of the room.

"It's wonderful to see such enthusiasm from all of you," Tamaki began. "I always say that the more, the merrier. I'm sure this will be no exception. We will begin this afternoon's lesson with a _quadrille_. Kaoru, Hikaru, would you like to demonstrate?"

The twins stepped to the forefront with grins. "Well, we need partners, milord. Ladies, would anyone like to volunteer?"

A series of cries rose up as girls raised their hands and bounced up and down on their toes impatiently.

"Oh, pick me!" one cried.

"Please Hikaru—I'd love to dance with you!"

"Me! Me!"

The twins grinned as they strode back and forth in front of the crowd. They paused and pretended to survey the crowd. "Hmmm…I think…Sumire, Ayame, would you two please join us?"

The girls edged through the crowd with glee as the twins held out their hands. "Now, we will need two other couples for this dance," the twins continued. They passed a glance over the crowd. "Ah! Mei, Bossanova—join us! Renge and Mori will make up our final couple."

Mei went forward eagerly with Kasanoda trailing reluctantly behind her.

The four couples stood assembled in the front of the room.

"The good news is that the _quadrille_ is little more than walking and marching back and forth and around each other," Kaoru said. "So, as long as you remember the patterns, you should be fine."

"It's in five parts and each part has a different pattern," Hikaru added. "We will be doing a different part each day. But today, we'll begin with _le pantalon!_ "

And so the musicians started into a lively tune.

"We start in a square. First order of business regards bowing and curtseying," Kaoru instructed. He turned to Sumire and offered a bow as she curtseyed in return.

"Then, we walk towards each other and about each other, swapping partners," Hikaru said. The group continued their demonstration, twirling about each other.

"And once we return to our first parter, we step back and forth—like so," Kaoru finished as he stepped forward with Sumire.

The example couples repeated the pattern several more times before the rest of the group joined in. The couples swept back and forth in their figures, giggling as they stepped on each other's feet and bumped into each other. But gradually, their forms improved. By the fourth _pantalon,_ everyone seemed to have the dance, including Princess Haruhi, who had joined Momoka and Kazukiyo's group with Honey and two other couples.

"It looks as if you all have the hang of it," Hikaru proclaimed. "And remember, this is just the first of five parts to the _quadrille_. We will cover the others in subsequent lessons!"

The court clapped and Hikaru and Kaoru bowed and stepped aside. Tamaki again took center stage and looked to the musicians.

"Now, something in three-four time please," he requested. The musicians cast surprised looks at each other before moving into the requested piece.

"The next piece will be a great deal different than our _quadrille_ ," Tamaki explained. "In the first place, it is a single couple dance. And it is in a much different stance than the _quadrille_."

He passed a glance over the ladies at the front of the room. He stopped before Haruhi and held out a hand. "Princess, if you would be so kind as to help me demonstrate."

"Okay," Haruhi replied. She took Tamaki's hand and he pulled her into a close stance.

"Fortunately, the basic step for this dance is quite simple," Tamaki explained. "It's a bit of a box step and the rhythm is a bit like this…"

Tamaki paused for a moment before taking his first step in time with the music. Haruhi found herself pulled along with him. " _One_ two three— _one_ two three—There, perfect, Highness, just as I thought. This can then progress to a promenade—"

Haruhi did not so much dance as much as allow Tamaki to guide her about the room in demonstration. The other students watched and seemed to catch on. Tamaki released the princess for a moment. "Now, if everyone would give it a try."

The students took their close stances, some giggling and others blushing as they did. As the music continued, Tamaki walked about the room, making small corrections here and there. They gradually caught on to swirling across the floor and Tamaki returned to Haruhi.

As they swept about the room, Haruhi fell into the rhythm of the dance.

"Tamaki, what is this dance?" she asked.

"Oh, I didn't even mention the name, did I? It's called a waltz! Quite popular in Alsance—especially, from what I hear, in the king's court."

"It's definitely different. But it is fun," Haruhi admitted.

Tamaki beamed at her. "I had hoped you would enjoy it, Highness."

Across the room, the other members of the troupe watched as Alsance's self-proclaimed "Waltz King" glided across the floor with Ichio's princess.

"He taught them the waltz. Why am I not surprised?" Kaoru said.

"Well, Tamaki does enjoy showing off new ideas," Kyoya said.

"They look very regal dancing together like that," Honey offered in a low voice with a nod to Tamaki and Haruhi.

"They do," Mori agreed.

Hikaru's lips twisted into the slightest hint of a snarl. "Yeah, but milord is just playing around as always."

"Hikaru, I would suggest curbing your tongue. Tamaki has his reasons for what he does." Kyoya pushed his glasses up with one finger as he shot Hikaru a cold glance.

"Are they good reasons?" Hikaru muttered.

"I suppose that would depend on your perspective, wouldn't it?" Kyoya asked.

Hikaru grunted and folded his arms as he continued to watch the lesson.

"The beauty of the waltz lies in the ability to vary the tempo," Tamaki called out to the students. "You can take things slowly…"

Tamaki slowed the pace of his promenade across the floor with Haruhi. "Or, you can speed things up!"

At that, he swirled across the floor with Haruhi at a quick pace, spinning between the couples watching on the floor.

Finally, he came to a stop in the center of the room. "There are other variations of course, but that's for another day!"

He bowed deeply to Haruhi. "Thank you, Highness. You are a partner beyond compare, as I expected."

Haruhi rolled her eyes good-naturedly and curtseyed in return. "Thanks."

With a mischievous grin, Tamaki twisted his hands and produced another rose. "A memento from your first waltz, perhaps?"

Haruhi laughed and took the rose. Yet as she did, she paused and peered at it closely.

"Is something the matter, Highness?" Tamaki asked.

"The roses are usually white. This one…it looks as if the tips of the petals are red," Haruhi said. She held up the rose for Tamaki to examine. The troupe leader's head tilted to one side.

"Well, that's quite strange! Perhaps I didn't twist my hands quite right," he joked.

Haruhi was about to comment further, but Honey's question interrupted her: "Tama, should we move to the polonaise?"

"Ah, yes! Absolutely," Tamaki declared, clapping his hands together. "The polonaise would be an excellent finish for today's lesson! Highness, if you would excuse me."

Haruhi smiled as the troupe's leader hurried off to demonstrate the steps of the next dance. She tucked the red-tinged white rose into a pocket, intending to add it to her collection of roses later on.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Kasanoda cast a glance over the garden in front of him. His forehead furrowed and he pondered.**_

 _ **"Cassanova! Oh, Cassanova—there you are," Misuzu said as he walked into the garden. "How is the garden coming along?"**_

 _ **"Well, that's the problem," Kasanoda replied. "It's been such a cold winter…"**_

 _ **Misuzu sighed. "I know. I suppose it is asking too much to have things blooming for the princess's birthday."**_

 _ **Kasanoda considered the garden again. "Ordinarily, that would be true…But…"**_

 _ **The bandit-turned-gardener smiled as an idea came to him.**_

What plan has Kasanoda hatched? And will the queen's garden bloom in time for the princess's birthday? Check back next Monday to find out!


	59. Chapter 59: The Gardener's Dilemma

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses kick us off as usual!

 **Sabrinabella:** I'm so glad you enjoyed the dances! I thought the waltz would be a typical Tamaki choice and couldn't resist pulling Haruhi into it as well. Very happy to hear you're looking forward to what happens next. It's great to hear from you again!

 **QueenRainbow:** Thank you! And don't apologize-I know people are busy. Simply review when you have time!

 **Shantesa:** Thank you Silver! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it so much. It's always a huge compliment to hear that people lose themselves in the story. I actually didn't think of the parallel between Kyoya and Elsa when I wrote that bit, but now whenever a reviewer mentions it, I get images of Kyoya in sparkly blue robes singing "Let It Go." Which is simultaneously amusing and a bit scary. Thank you so much for taking the time to review-your comments are definitely appreciated!

 **MagicQuill42:** You'll find out about Kasanoda's plan in this chapter! As for the twins, I believe you mentioned wanting to see separate development. Which, once the springtime rolls around in this fanfiction, should happen in spades!

 **panda808:** Thank you! And goodness gracious, thank you for that catch! It's been corrected now. This is what I get for trying to trust my memory with music rather than double checking. Great to hear from you again!

 **lillyannp:** I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it! Kasanoda's plans will all be revealed in this chapter, so read on!

 **swimmer1102:** Thank you so much! It's always great to hear that veteran readers are still enjoying the story as much as they did when they started.

 **Penstar1331:** Thank you!

 **tmwillson3:** I love your idea with the quadrille! I can see something like that happening a bit too easily. Your preferences with Hikaru have been noted! Thank you for the suggestions!

 **Adelaide's Anagram:** I am so glad you're enjoying the story so much! I also love your idea for Nekozawa's present. I'm always happy to hear suggestions-you guys always give me such wonderful fodder that I hardly ever find myself blocked. By the way, your reviews are beautifully written-it's always a joy to hear people using words like "frolicking." It's great to hear from you again!

I just wanted to take a second to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews. I needed to reference a few reader suggestions in this chapter and looking over new and past reviews really struck me with how fantastic my readers are. In short, you're all incredible and thank you so much for reading and/or reviewing. This update, I'd like to give special thanks to **MagicQuill42** and **Chalice13** for their present ideas that ended up incorporated into this chapter! For everyone else that made present suggestions, I promise you'll see some of your ideas pop up soon!

The reader question this update is not so much related to plot as it is to my curiosity. I'm always interested in my readers' predictions and in the last update, there seemed to be something happening to Tamaki's magic roses. I would like to know: **what are your thoughts on the roses?** Is there a reason for the change? Will something happen to them in the future? All thoughts are welcome-as I said, I'm curious to hear from all of you!

The Reader Wishlist topic this update is... **Tetsuya!** Kasanoda's second in command didn't get much attention in the original material, but I feel like he would be an interesting character to explore. Play with this one as much as you like and send in any scenarios, head canons or suggestions!

Unfortunately, I do have some news regarding the update schedule. Looking over the past week, I'm not sure if I will be able to return to the twice a week update schedule during November. Nanowrimo has taken up a great deal of my writing time and looking to the outlines of near-future chapters of this fanfic, I really want to make sure I don't cheat them. And I would much rather make a final decision regarding the schedule for the next month and let it be a pleasant surprise if I am able to return to the twice a week update schedule this month rather than leaving all of you hanging on a week by week basis. I apologize for the change as I know many of you look forward to the updates. Thank you all for bearing with me. I can promise, however, that there will be a new chapter weekly this month. Updates will take place **every Monday this month** **.**

Now, onto the the next chapter-in which a certain bandit-turned-gardener has a plan!

* * *

With less than a week until the princess's birthday, the flurry of preparations increased to a practical storm. Every staff member in the castle took to their tasks with gleeful gusto. The maids sang songs as they dusted, the cooks and scullery maids chattered as they hurried about the kitchens and even the gardeners whistled as they clipped the hedges into perfect curves and edges. Each person's work flowed with ease—save for one certain gardener.

Kasanoda passed through the the queen's greenhouse, scrutinizing each of the plants carefully. Delicate vines native to Ichio and the surrounding kingdoms climbed their stakes in a tangle of greenery. Miniature fruit trees put forth a profusion of colorful blossoms as exotic plants from the far-off southern tropics extended fantastically streaked petals in dazzling arrays.

The bandit-turned-gardener observed his work with pride. The greenhouse had turned out beautifully. It had been restored just as Misuzu had asked. But in the greenhouse, every factor impacting growth could be controlled with a fair amount of ease. The garden, on the other hand…

As Kasanoda opened the door from the greenhouse to the garden, he resisted the urge to cringe. The plants here stood barren of leaves and blooms. With the chilling winter, no amount of coaxing would bring forth greenery or color. If only there was a way to speed up the winter itself…

Kasanoda cast a glance over the garden in front of him. His forehead furrowed and he pondered.

"Cassanova! Oh, Cassanova—there you are," Misuzu said as he walked into the garden. "How is the garden coming along?"

"Well, that's the problem," Kasanoda replied. "It's been such a cold winter…"

Misuzu sighed. "I know. I suppose it is asking too much to have things blooming."

Kasanoda considered the garden again. "Ordinarily, that would be true…But…"

The bandit-turned-gardener smiled as an idea came to him.

He immediately went to the library. His hunt took him to the magic and alchemy section.

"None of these will work," he muttered. He then retrieved the sliding ladder from the other end of the bookshelf and climbed up it. Yet as he scanned the higher shelves, he failed to hear the doors to the library open and shut.

"Hi Cassanova—"

"Gah!" Kasanoda jumped, clinging to the ladder, which wobbled. As it steadied, he glanced down to the library's second occupant.

"Sorry," Princess Haruhi said, rubbing at the back of her neck with one hand. "I didn't mean to scare you. I thought you heard me come in."

"I—didn't. But, it's—uh—it's not a problem, Highness." Kasanoda stammered. Since his discovery of the princess's true identity, he felt uneasy around her. Haruhi, however, seemed unbothered by the entire incident.

"You can call me Haruhi, you know," Haruhi said.

"Ri—right, Haruhi."

Kasanoda climbed down from the ladder on shaking legs as Haruhi surveyed the shelves.

"I didn't realize you were interested in magic," she said as she examined the section.

"Um—no—I just—I—" Kasanoda glanced around the room helplessly. How could he explain his presence here without giving away his work with the greenhouse and the queen's garden?

"Cassanova was having difficulty with a particularly sensitive plant of Misuzu's, Highness." The smooth voice appeared out of nowhere, but it seemed to originate from one end of the bookshelf. Nekozawa materialized out of the shadows at the end of the aisle.

"Oh—good morning, Nekozawa," Haruhi said with a slight curtsey.

Nekozawa offered a slight bow. "Highness. As I was saying, I heard of Cassanova's plight and recommended a book that might help him."

The dark mage turned to Kasanoda. "Did you find the book we spoke of?"

"Er, well, you'll have to refresh my memory on the author's name," Kasanoda replied, deciding to play along.

"Let me see if I can find it," Nekozawa offered. He swept over to the section in front of Kasanoda and climbed up the ladder. After a quick moment of examination, he pulled a green bound book from the shelf. "Ah. Here it is."

He returned to the floor and gave the book to Kasanoda. "I think you'll find this book has the solutions to any problems you may encounter in your current work."

Kasanoda might have imagined it, but he thought he saw the duke offer the slightest wink beneath his hood. He took the book with a nod.

"Thank you, your Grace."

"Of course. Now, Highness, if you have a moment, I believe Kirimi and Mei wanted your opinion on the dresses they were going to wear to the ball," Nekozawa said.

"Oh, please lead the way," Haruhi said. She nodded to Kasanoda. "Good luck with Misuzu's plant."

"Thank you, Highness," Kasanoda said. He waited until the two left the library before diving into the book Nekozawa had given him.

#

That evening, Kyoya sat alone in the music room that had become his makeshift workshop. Over the past week, he had taken to work on a gift for the princess at Tamaki's behest which required silence and secrecy.

Kyoya opened the door to the lantern on the table in front of him and tapped gently on the glass. At this, a procession of glowing butterflies emerged from the greenery inside the lantern. A tinkling tune filled the air as they flew through the room and came to rest all about him. Kyoya snapped his fingers twice. The butterflies continued glowing and the tinkling song continued. Kyoya sighed. How had Tamaki gotten him into this?

The king's request had started off simply enough. He wanted a music box for the princess. Yet the design had quickly grown to wild ideas of magical butterflies that would make the music. Kyoya had formed the butterflies with a fair amount of ease. But try as he might, he could not make the butterflies produce music. He had presented the butterflies to Tamaki who had gleefully declared that they hadn't been taught properly. The young king hummed a tune while the butterflies sat in the lantern. He then released them from the lantern and hummed the tune again only to meet with silence. Kyoya fully expected the experiment to prove a failure.

But the third time Tamaki hummed the tune, the butterflies joined in with him. Kyoya watched in disbelief as the magic constructs fluttered over to Tamaki and landed on him. Then, by some magical mechanism that Kyoya couldn't place, the butterflies began glowing. Tamaki had laughed in delight and asked if Kyoya had planned such a feature. The illusionist had replied with a definitive "no." Kyoya could only suppose that the butterflies might have picked up on Tamaki's naturally bright aura and reflected it. They would have to add "Sun King" to the long list of the Alsancean king's epithets.

Now, Kyoya's task was to train the butterflies to stop and start their music as well as their light on command. So far, all work had been an abysmal failure. A few very late nights would be required to find the solution this time. At least he would have credit for it. Tamaki had stated that he couldn't give such a gift to the princess without acknowledging his illusionist, so it was decided that the lantern would be a joint gift. But a joint present meant that Kyoya would also have to have a personal gift at the ready. He thought that an updated disguise cloak would work nicely, but so far the lantern had taken precedence.

He tapped three times on the glass and the butterflies began fluttering back to their enclosure. He counted carefully. All eighteen returned to the lantern. The number had been Tamaki's idea. Kyoya had stopped the king's fanciful list of suggestions at that. Tamaki had been particularly put out about not being able to etch the glass of the lantern with a rose design, but almost immediately bounced on to some other task.

A knock came at the music room door.

"Come in," Kyoya called, fully expecting Tamaki to rush in.

Instead, Kasanoda popped his head in.

"Ah, Kasanoda. What brings you here?" Kyoya asked.

Kasanoda shuffled into the room. "Well, uh, I have a favor to ask."

Kyoya cringed inwardly, but said, "Ask away."

"Um, a few months ago, Misuzu brought me on to bring the queen's garden and greenhouse back to life. I've been able to fix the greenhouse fairly well, but the garden is a different story because of the winter. Misuzu really wants the garden to bloom for the princess's birthday and I think I might have found a way to do it. But it requires magic," Kasanoda explained.

"And what method are you referring to?" Kyoya asked.

Kasanoda produced a green bound book and opened it. "This is the story of how a mage made a tree bloom in a courtyard in a snowy winter."

Kyoya skimmed over the story. The methods seemed simple enough: a protective barrier over the entire courtyard that would concentrate the sun's weak rays followed by multiple heating spells and a few enchanted rainclouds. However, the spells had to be carried out in rapid succession, which could be tricky. But such a feat might improve the troupe's standing with King Ryoji, which was always helpful. In any case, it would at least put them securely in Misuzu's favor. If one could not have the ear of the king, one could at least have the ear of the man who whispered to the king.

"I believe I can do this," Kyoya said as he closed the book. "However, I have a request of my own."

"Whatever you want," Kasanoda declared.

"You will keep this favor in mind in the future should I need anything from you."

The bandit-turned-gardener paled slightly, but quickly nodded. "Ab—absolutely."

"Excellent. I can meet you in the garden tomorrow morning."

"Great! Thank you, Kyoya." Kasanoda offered a slight bow before excusing himself from the room.

When the door shut, Kyoya returned his attention to the tasks at hand. Unable to bear the tinkling of the butterflies one more time that night, he picked up the disguise cloak and began his work.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"There's a giant cake outside!" Kirimi cried.**_

 _ **"What? I thought the cooks said they weren't going to do anything over the top!" Haruhi exclaimed.**_

 _ **The trio rushed out of Haruhi's chambers to find an enormous cake standing at least six feet tall outside the door. It was decorated with ribbons and swathes of icing lace and sugar pearls.**_

 _ **"How did the chefs even get this up here?" Mei marveled.**_

 _ **But Haruhi frowned as she stepped closer to the cake. Something about this seemed…off.**_

What will the princess discover about this mysterious cake? And who made it? Check back next Monday to find out!


	60. Chapter 60: The Princess's Birthday

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first as usual!

 **Penstar1331:** Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **Adelaide's Anagram:** Thank you so much! Very interesting insights on the pacing-I have always enjoyed writing large casts, so having the entirety of Ouran's cast to play with has definitely been fun. Your theory on the roses is also intriguing! I absolutely love your ideas with Tetsuya-the potential as Kyoya's apprentice would be absolutely endless. I've noted everything for future reference! And thank you for the Nanowrimo encouragement!

 **tmwillson3:** Thank you! I love your ideas with Tetsuya (poor Kasanoda is never going to get a break!) and I've noted your theory with the roses! As for the cake...read on!

 **MagicQuill42:** Please don't apologize-I totally understand that everyone is busy! I'm glad you liked the gift! And my wonderful readers giving suggestions (like you did) makes my job much easier!

 **lillyannp:** I'm glad you enjoyed it! This chapter will kick off the birthday celebrations so read on!

 **swimmer1102:** Thank you! So glad you're looking forward to it!

So, the reader question is up for another change. This is a very minor detail this week, but it's something that I've been indecisive on. I'd like to know... **what color should Haruhi's dress be for the night of the ball?** Extra points if you have a specific mask style in mind for her as well! There's only one more chapter before the night of the ball so please send in your thoughts!

The Reader Wishlist is up for a change this update as well! This time the topic is... **Satoshi and Chika**! I can definitely say that these two will be appearing _quite_ soon and I believe there are hijinks to come. But, I would love to get your opinions on scenarios!

The next update will be **next Monday!**

Now, onto the next chapter-in which the birthday celebrations of the princess begin!

* * *

The morning of her birthday, Haruhi awoke late. She rose, surprised that no one had visited to wake her earlier.

" _I would have thought someone would have already made a fuss on my birthday. But I suppose the day isn't over yet."_ With a shrug, she pulled on a robe and ventured out into her chambers.

"Highness! You're finally awake!" Kirimi cried the instant she saw the princess. The junior lady-in-waiting shot up from her spot on the couch. "Oh, Mei, can we give her our presents now? Can we? Can we please?"

Mei looked up from her sewing work with a smile as Kirimi danced about. "We can, we can! Go get them."

"Yippee!" Kirimi darted into Mei's room.

"I think she's more excited about her present than you are," Mei commented.

Haruhi laughed a bit as she sat down and poured a cup of tea. "I'm glad she's so excited."

Kirimi emerged from Mei's room carrying two large wrapped bundles and a smaller box.

"The small one is from me and the two big ones are from Mei," Kirimi declared as she placed the gifts in front of Haruhi. The girl then popped up on the couch and stared with rapt attention.

Haruhi set her tea aside and took the small package first. With delicate precision, she undid the ribbon tying the box shut and removed the blue and white striped top. Inside sat a thick knitted sleeping cap with ear flaps and what appeared to be a rather clumsily sewn object that resembled a blindfold.

"It's to help you during storms," Kirimi explained. "The hat will muffle the sound of the thunder and the mask will block out the lightning! I sewed the mask myself."

"Aww, thank you Kirimi," Haruhi said. "I'm sure they will be a big help."

Kirimi beamed before jumping over to Haruhi to hug her. "I'm so glad you like them!"

"Of course," Haruhi said, carefully replacing the lid of the box.

She then turned her attention to unwrapping the two brown paper parcels. The first tumbled open to reveal a collection of shirts in a variety of colors and fabrics. The second held various kinds of trousers. Haruhi blinked and looked from the packages to Mei.

"I noticed that your commoner's clothes were getting a bit tattered. I know I obviously can't stop you from going out into the city, so you might as well be dressed decently," Mei said.

Haruhi smiled, leaned over and hugged her lady-in-waiting. "Thanks Mei. This really means a lot."

"Just make sure you get good use out of them!"

"I will."

"Well, Kirimi, I think we need to get Her Highness ready for the day," Mei said.

"Yes ma'am!" Kirimi exclaimed.

A little while later, Haruhi had donned a sky blue dress ornamented with white lace that Mei had sewn specifically for that day. As Mei arranged the princess's hair, Kirimi bounced about the chambers. Finally, the bored junior lady-in-waiting bounded out of the chambers. A moment later, she ran back in.

"There's a giant cake outside!" Kirimi cried.

"What? I thought the cooks said they weren't going to do anything over the top!" Haruhi exclaimed.

All thoughts of getting ready dropped in an instant. The trio rushed out of Haruhi's chambers to find an enormous cake standing at least six feet tall outside the door. It was decorated with ribbons and swathes of icing lace and sugar pearls.

"How did the chefs even get this up here?" Mei marveled.

But Haruhi frowned as she stepped closer to the cake. Something about this seemed…off.

"I don't think—"

In a flash, the cake exploded with a profusion of confetti and five figures burst from the cake.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" they chorused.

Haruhi shrieked, backpedaled and promptly fell on her backside. For a moment, she stared at the fake cake in stunned silence, trying to calm her racing pulse.

"Highness!" Tamaki tossed his gift to Kyoya, leapt from the cake and rushed to her side. "Our sincerest apologies! We never imagined we would frighten you!"

"We warned you, milord," Hikaru muttered behind them.

But as Haruhi looked from Tamaki's concerned expression to the other four gift-bearing performers behind him and then to the stunned Mei and Kirimi, the sarcastic reply died on her lips.

Instead, she began laughing.

The troupe exchanged glances and chuckled hesitantly. Eventually, Mei and Kirimi joined in as well.

"It's fine, really!" Haruhi exclaimed. "Where on earth did you get such an idea? And how did you make this cake?"

"It was easy after all the stage props we've done," Kaoru offered.

"But we have to give Renge credit for the decoration," Honey finished as the troupe's manager and costume designer waltzed around the corner.

"Oh, thank you Honey!" Renge chirped. She hurried over, carefully adjusting her grip on the two packages in her arms. "Highness, we thought you would like to open your gifts from us before the ball tonight."

"Yes, that makes perfect sense," Haruhi said. She stood, ignoring Tamaki's offer of assistance, and brushed her dress off. "Please, come in. We'll open them over tea."

With a fresh pot of tea made, Haruhi looked over the pile of gifts in front of her.

"That one is from me," Honey said as she picked up a multicolored package.

Haruhi opened the gift to reveal an apron complete with frilled trim.

"Misuzu said that you liked to cook," Honey said. "I thought this might be helpful!"

Haruhi exchanged a quick look with Mei, then smiled and said, "Thank you Honey. I'll use it any time I go to the kitchens."

She didn't have the heart to tell him that Yuko had banned her from the kitchens months ago.

"That's from us," the twins chorused as Haruhi picked up a green box with a pink ribbon.

The contents of this box consisted of a metal puzzle of three rings and four brightly colored spheres.

"We know you like puzzles," Kaoru began.

"And the spheres will make smoke screens in case you ever need to escape a situation," Hikaru finished.

"Thanks guys! Hopefully I won't need the smoke screens," Haruhi replied.

Renge claimed the next small pink package. "That's mine!"

Inside, Haruhi found several metal spirals and a jeweled hair clip.

"These are hairpins," Renge explained as she held up one of the spirals. "They should help hold your hair in place under your cap and can even secure the cap too. And I just thought the hair clip was pretty."

"Thank you so much Renge," Haruhi said. "I'm sure these will be really helpful."

Kyoya leaned forward as Haruhi took a medium sized silver and blue striped package. "And that one is mine."

Haruhi opened the gift and held up the cloak. "Oh! Is this the disguise cloak?"

"It is. I've updated it to include a few rather ambiguous identities. But I do suggest using it rather sparingly—the spell does need to be recharged after significant use," Kyoya said.

"Thank you," Haruhi said as she set the cloak aside.

"That one is from Kyoya and me," Tamaki said when Haruhi picked up a tall lilac box with white ribbons.

Once Haruhi opened the gift, she blinked.

"Wow. This is beautiful," she said as she watched the glowing butterflies flitting about in the lantern.

"Open it!" Tamaki exclaimed.

Haruhi opened the door of the lantern. The butterflies fluttered out and dispersed across the room. Kirimi gasped and clasped her hands together in delight as one landed on her knee.

"Now, if you simply—" Tamaki clapped his hands twice. A tinkling musical chorus rose up. Haruhi's mouth dropped open.

"Tama, that's incredible!" Honey exclaimed.

But before the others could marvel further, Kyoya clapped his hands twice. The music stopped. After two of Kyoya's snaps, the glow dissipated as well. Kyoya then tapped on the frame of the lantern and the butterflies flew back into their home.

"I believe that's a proper demonstration," Kyoya said. Tamaki stared at the lantern mournfully as Kyoya set it aside.

"That's from me," Mori said as Haruhi chose a square turquoise package.

A bronze and gold clockwork bird sat inside. Haruhi delicately removed it, staring at the clock face on the bird's chest.

"Wait," Mori instructed.

The clock came to fifteen after the hour and the bird burst into a trilling short song.

"Oh! Did you make this?" Haruhi asked as the song died away.

Mori simply nodded.

The princess carefully passed the clock to Mei. "Thank you!"

"That one is mine," Tamaki said as Haruhi took the last gift, which was boxed in silver and blue.

A book sat inside on top of a sheaf of parchment. Haruhi picked up the dark blue bound book. Her eyes flickered over the golden embossed title. It was completely unfamiliar.

"It's a compendium of legends about Ichio interspersed with a record of an Alsancean scholar's journeys here. I could only find it in a rather old country dialect of Alsance, so I took the liberty of translating it," Tamaki said, nodding towards the stack of parchment in the box.

Haruhi flicked through a few pages of the handwritten translation with a smile. "Thank you so much. This will give me plenty to read."

Tamaki beamed back at her.

The princess offered a smile to the troupe. "Thanks so much everyone. I can't imagine a better way to start my birthday."

"You're welcome!" the troupe chorused.

"But the fun's just beginning!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"What?" Haruhi asked.

Kaoru elbowed his twin hard.

"Ow—hey!" Hikaru protested, rubbing at his side.

Haruhi was about to inquire further about Hikaru's comment when a knock came at the door.

Mei opened the door. "Good morning Cassanova!"

"Morning Mei. Does Her Highness have a moment?" Kasanoda asked.

"Of course." Mei opened the door to allow Kasanoda to sidle in.

"Um, happy birthday, Highness," Kasanoda said.

"Thank you, Cassanova," Haruhi replied.

"Uh, Misuzu would like for you to follow me," the gardener said.

Haruhi cast a glance at her visitors. "Okay…"

"Everyone else can come," Kasanoda reassured her.

Haruhi rose from her place with a smile at the others. "Fantastic. Please, lead the way."

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Now, I need to give you my presents," Ranka said.**_

 _ **"Oh, Dad—you didn't have to—" Haruhi started.**_

 _ **"My little girl is eighteen," Ranka declared. "I absolutely had to have presents for you!"**_

 _ **With that, he crossed the chamber to a tall chest of drawers.**_

 _ **Haruhi watched curiously her father began unlatching and unlocking objects within the drawer.**_

What could Ranka's presents be? Check back next Monday to find out!


	61. Chapter 61: The Garden Restored

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **MagicQuill42:** I'm so glad you liked the presents! I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much! Thank you for the dress suggestion too!

 **swimmer1102:** Aw, thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying it and thank you for the dress suggestion!

 **DiamondSparkle42:** Thank you so much for the suggestion! Great to hear from you again!

 **lillyannp:** Thank you! I hope you like Ranka's presents too!

 **Alexia:** Ah yes, there always has to be at least one Clueless Guard! Thank you for your review and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

 **tmwillson3:** I absolutely couldn't help myself once I saw your suggestion of the troupe bursting out of a cake. I'm glad you approve of my rendition! And thank you for the dress suggestion as well! You can also trust that Chika and Satoshi's arc will have _plenty_ of shenanigans of all kinds.

So, this fic is officially at 250 reviews! I wish I could add GIFs of fireworks and balloons and any other celebratory things I could think of, but alas! I definitely want to celebrate this benchmark with something, yet I really don't have anything in mind this time. Thus, I'm turning it over to all of you! In fact, the reader question this week is... **what would you like to see in celebration of reaching 250 reviews?** I'd love to hear any of your suggestions so please send them in!

The Reader Wishlist this week is a bit of a twist. This time, it is **Yuko!** I know you guys love to hate her, but I'm always interested to get alternate viewpoints. If you have any ideas for her, send them in!

The next update will be **next Monday!**

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a certain garden is revealed!

* * *

"Ah! There you are Highness!" Misuzu clapped his hands together when the group reached the main hall on the eastern end of the castle. "And you brought _Le Triomphe de la Comedie!_ Excellent! I believe Cassanova's triumph needs an audience!"

Kasanoda swallowed and scuffed at the ground with one foot. "I had a good bit of help."

"Yes, but you were willing to persevere and find said help!" Misuzu chirped. "Now—where on earth is Nekozawa?"

"Here, Misuzu."

The Duke of Tokare rounded the corner followed closely by Ranka.

"Misuzu, what on earth is going on? Usually I wouldn't mind surprises, but we do have a great deal of work—" Ranka stopped short when he spotted Haruhi. His face lit and he bounded down the hall to her, catching her in a overly-enthusiastic embrace. "Happy birthday sweetheart!"

Haruhi, long used to such over the top displays of affection, simply smiled and returned the hug. "Thanks Dad."

"Is today everything you could have wanted so far?" Ranka asked.

"Of course," Haruhi replied.

Ranka crushed her in another hug. "Oh wonderful! It's only just getting started! This day should be utterly magical!"

The others restrained laughs and smiles as the queen continued to fuss over his daughter. Finally, Misuzu cleared his throat.

"Um, Ranka, I believe one of Haruhi's gifts is waiting to be seen," the advisor said.

Ranka reluctantly released Haruhi. "Yes, yes. I do want to see what you've managed to dream up."

Misuzu looked to Kasanoda. "Well, Cassanova, this is mainly your gift. Would you like to do the honors?"

Kasanoda flushed, but nodded. He crossed the hall to a solid wood door and opened it, saying, "Happy birthday, Highness."

"Ranka, you and Haruhi first!" Misuzu cried.

A warm breeze drifted through the door as Haruhi approached. She blinked her eyes against the bright white sun. But the moment they adjusted to the light, she gasped.

The garden in front of her overflowed with roses. Corals, pinks and yellows ringed the edges of the garden, mixed in with their rarer lavender, light and dark blue cousins. When Haruhi looked more closely, she saw clusters of peaches and yellow roses tipped with red planted as well. Some even climbed over the sun-soaked stone walls of the garden.

She took a few steps forward, hardly hearing her father's exclamations of surprise and joy. As if in a trance, she meandered to the center of the garden where red and white roses spilled over each other in a tangle over a simple stone rotunda. The roses' perfume hung heavy in the air. She spun around once, shaking her head in disbelief.

" _Mom's garden…I can't believe it…_ " she thought.

She turned back to see her father leaning over the nearest bush of blooms. Behind the queen, Misuzu stood against the wall, smiling. The others were filtering into the garden, eyes wide and mouths open.

Kirimi was last out into the garden. She cast a glance back through the doorway to Nekozawa, who motioned her on. With that, the girl's uncertain tread turned into a gleeful skip.

"This is so beautiful!" she exclaimed.

Misuzu hurried over to the royals. "Now, you have to see the greenhouse as well! Cassanova did a beautiful job!"

So the advisor led the stunned queen and princess on a tour of the restored greenhouse. Misuzu proudly showcased the rare vines and delicate tropical flowers. Yet neither Ranka nor Haruhi could say anything.

When they emerged from the greenhouse, Ranka cast another awe-struck gaze over the garden.

"Cassanova," the queen called.

The gardener sidled up to the group, a slightly apprehensive look on his face. "Yes, Majesty?"

Ranka wiped tears from his eyes. "Young man, you have created magic here."

Kasanoda flushed. "Um, er…thank you, Majesty."

He looked to Haruhi. Without thinking, Haruhi hugged him. The gardener froze.

"Thank you so much," Haruhi said.

"Of—of course, Highness," Kasanoda stammered.

Haruhi then threw her arms around Misuzu. "Thank you. This is a wonderful gift. I've missed this garden so much. How did you ever get it to bloom in the middle of winter?"

"That was actually a bit of Cassanova's handiwork. I believe Kyoya might have had a hand in it," Misuzu said.

Haruhi looked across the garden and waved with a smile to the dark-robed illusionist. Kyoya simple nodded in return.

"Again, thank you both so much," Haruhi said with a smile at Misuzu and Kasanoda.

Both offered the slightest of bows.

"Haruhi! I found a basket! We can pick some roses for your room!" Mei called from the other side of the garden. Haruhi paused for a moment, looking up to her father. Ranka smiled and waved her on.

"Go ahead."

Haruhi went to her lady-in-waiting and the two began picking roses.

That morning, the garden filled with as much laughter as sunlight.

Yet when Haruhi left the others to carry her basket of roses to her room, Nekozawa appeared from the shadows.

"Happy birthday, Highness," he said.

"Oh, Nekozawa—thank you," Haruhi replied.

The dark mage produced a small midnight blue box from his robes. "Your present."

Haruhi opened the box to reveal two rings of silver intertwined with a band of rose gold. "Goodness. It's beautiful."

"It will also serve as a warning when someone wishes you ill," Nekozawa said. "The gold will glow when you are in their presence. And it knows the deepest desires of all hearts. It will reveal even one who says they wish you well when their heart proclaims the opposite."

Haruhi nodded with a smile as she slipped the ring on. "Thank you so much Nekozawa. I'll always keep it close."

Nekozawa bowed. "I am glad, Highness. Now, I will leave you to your work."

And with that, the duke started down the hall. For the briefest of moments, Haruhi glanced away from him. When she looked back, he had disappeared.

#

That night, Haruhi stood patiently on the raised dais in Mei's room as the lady-in-waiting put her final touches on the princess's dress for the ball. Mei's tongue stuck out to one side as she stitched a pearl to a tiny silver bow on the dress. Finally satisfied, the lady-in-waiting rose with a nod.

"There! You're perfect now!"

Haruhi examined her reflection in the glass. Mei had used Shikanai's traditional colors, silver and powder blue, for the gown. Each scallop of the skirt was tied with a silver bow dotted with a pearl. Even Haruhi had to admit that the work was superb.

Mei circled around Haruhi twice. "So your hair has stayed in place beautifully, your face is done and your dress is officially finished! I guess this means you can go see His Majesty now."

Haruhi raised an eyebrow. "Dad wants to see me?"

"Yes! Do you really think the queen would let the ball begin without seeing you first?"

Haruhi stepped down from the dais with a smile. "You have an excellent point."

But as the princess started out of the room, Mei cried, "Wait! Don't forget your mask!"

"Oh—thanks for reminding me." Haruhi took the silver and blue eye mask rimmed with white lace that Mei had crafted. She slipped it into a pocket of the dress (a feature she had begged Mei for in such a grand gown) before heading to her father's chambers.

"Come in!" Ranka chimed when she knocked.

Haruhi walked in and the queen beamed.

"You look beautiful!" Ranka exclaimed. "Mei has _absolutely_ outdone herself!"

Haruhi nodded. "She really has."

The queen put both hands on his daughter's shoulders. "Your mother would be so proud."

The princess smiled. "Thanks Dad."

"Now, I need to give you my presents," Ranka said.

"Oh, Dad—you didn't have to—" Haruhi started.

"My little girl is eighteen," Ranka declared. "I absolutely had to have presents for you!"

With that, he crossed the chamber to a tall chest of drawers.

Haruhi watched curiously as her father began unlatching and unlocking objects within the drawer. He soon turned around with a case in each hand. He motioned Haruhi over to the table and set the cases on it.

"Open them," he directed.

Haruhi unlatched both cases and gaped.

A silver tiara inset with sapphires and diamonds sat in one case while a matching necklace rested in the other.

"Your mother had these designs drawn up before your first birthday," Ranka explained. "Always said she wanted you to have them on your eighteenth birthday. So, I suppose in a way, they're really presents from both of us."

Haruhi bit her lip, trying to keep back the rare tears that suddenly sprang to her eyes. "They're…they're beautiful."

"Here—let's see what they look like on!"

The queen carefully placed the tiara on his daughter's head and clasped the necklace. When Haruhi turned to him, he sighed.

"They're more lovely than I ever could have imagined."

Haruhi found herself crushed in yet another embrace in a moment.

"Can't believe you're already all grown up," Ranka said, tears threatening in his voice.

"Aw, Dad, I'm always going to be your little girl," Haruhi replied.

Ranka stepped back to look at her again. "Well, an eighteenth birthday is an important one. In more ways than you think."

"What? What do you mean?"

But Ranka shook his head. "Oh, it's nothing! Ignore me—I don't want to ruin your night with my sentimental fit! Please—go ahead. I'm sure everyone is waiting for you."

"If you're sure," Haruhi said slowly.

"Yes, yes! I promise I'm sure! Go enjoy your night! I'll be down shortly!"

Haruhi allowed her father to shoo her out of the chambers. But as she started for the castle's grand ballroom, she wondered if there had been something more to her father's words.

* * *

The next chapter excerpt is...

 ** _"Happy birthday, Highness!" Two of the nearest courtiers chorused._**

 ** _Haruhi peered at them. "Kazukiyo? Momoka?"_**

 ** _The two courtiers removed their masks with wide smiles. "We're honored that you recognized us!" Momoka exclaimed. "Tonight is going to be so much fun!"_**

 ** _"Highness, would you like to dance?" Kazukiyo asked._**

 ** _Haruhi's head tilted to one side. "Kazukiyo, I didn't think you danced."_**

 ** _Kazukiyo chuckled nervously. "Well, I think the troupe's dance lessons helped a bit."_**

 ** _Part of Haruhi could sense a plot brewing, but she accompanied Kazukiyo onto the floor._**

Is there a plan afoot? Or has our princess simply become a bit too sensitive to any hint of a plot? Check back next Monday to find out!


	62. Chapter 62: The Birthday Ball

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **Penstar1331** : I think this might have been a back-dated review, but in any case, thank you very much! Your concern is very much appreciated.

 **lillyannp:** Oh, there's always a reason-even if it means I have to dream up one several chapters after introducing a new object! And I would love to hear your suggestions for Yuko! Glad you enjoyed the chapter!

 **MagicQuill42:** Thank you! Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!

 **alexisgalvez53:** Thank you! So happy you've enjoyed it so far! Thank you for the review!

 **J Luc Pitard:** Time and approximately...one or two more chapters? Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much-great to hear from you again!

 **swimmer1102:** I hope this chapter lives up to your anticipation!

 **tmwillson3:** Well, silver and blue weren't _technically_ declared as the official colors until this chapter-I simply pulled them from the original description of Ichio's throne room. And yes, there is _definitely_ trouble on the far horizon. Very interested in your idea about including random facts-what kind of facts would you suggest?

So, for this update, I'm going to keep the reader question and the Reader Wishlist topic the same as last week's. Thus, the reader question this post is... **what would you like to see in celebration of reaching 250 reviews?** I'd love to hear any and all of your suggestions so please send them in!

The Reader Wishlist topic this week is... **Yuko!** Our scheming second advisor needs a bit of attention, so if you have any suggestions, please send them in!

Unfortunately, I can't make any calls on the future schedule in regards to returning to the twice a week schedule as I will probably need some time to recover from Nanowrimo. But, regardless, the next update will be **next Monday!**

Now, onto the next chapter-in which there is a masquerade for the princess's birthday!

* * *

When Haruhi reached the entrance to the grand ballroom, she found two footmen waiting at either one of the massive double doors.

"Happy birthday Highness!" They exclaimed with identical gleeful grins and bows. Haruhi curtseyed to both of them.

"Thank you."

"One moment while we ensure that the guests are ready," the left side footman said. He cracked the door and popped his head in. Haruhi strained to get a view of the scene within, but saw nothing.

The left footman closed his door with a nod. "They're ready for you, Highness."

As Haruhi started forward, the right side footman asked, "Highness, your mask?"

"Oh, right." Haruhi retrieved her mask from her pocket and quickly tied the ribbon.

Seemingly satisfied, both footmen grasped their respective door handles and opened the double doors in unison.

"Now presenting Her Royal Highness, Princess Haruhi Fujioka!" a herald proclaimed as Haruhi walked into the ballroom.

A crowd of masked courtiers and staff greeted her with smiles. "Happy birthday Highness!" they chorused.

Haruhi laughed and curtseyed back. For a moment, she took in the gleaming ballroom. Crystal candlesticks stood over tables overflowing with food on silver platters. Every surface glinted, hinting at the meticulous cleaning that had been performed earlier. Even the opulent chandeliers had been polished until they sent occasional flickers of rainbows across the room. This ballroom hadn't been used in years, yet it looked as if the castle had thrown balls of this sort every week.

"Well Highness, what do you think of your birthday party?" Tamaki made his way to the front of the crowd with the rest of the troupe following.

"It's amazing," Haruhi replied. But then, she noticed something about the troupe. "Hey! You guys don't have masks on!"

"Ah, but Highness, we have no masquerade," Tamaki said. "The court is so used to seeing us in masks from our performances that they would do little to hide our identities. So with or without masks, we would be quite recognizable."

Haruhi surveyed them with pursed lips. "I guess you have a point."

"Highness, I think there's a _quadrille_ starting soon! Would you join us?" Honey chirped.

Unable to resist Honey's infectious enthusiasm, Haruhi let her annoyance drop. "Of course, Honey."

"Fantastic! I suppose this means I should find my partner," Tamaki said.

"Us too!" the twins exclaimed. "Meet us on the floor! Sumire! Ayame! Her Highness agreed to a _quadrille_!"

With that, the twins and Tamaki disappeared into the crowd in search of their partners.

"Follow me, Highness!" Honey began weaving through the courtiers towards the dance floor of the ballroom.

"Honey, wait!" The princess hurried after the performer amidst the well wishes of her courtiers. When she finally caught up with him, he stood with Mei and Tamaki.

"Mei, that is a lovely dress. May I ask how you managed to make the color fade so?" Tamaki asked, nodding to Mei's gown. The bodice of the gown was a delicate rose that gradually deepened to a dark crimson at the hem of the skirt.

"Well, the dyers actually made a mistake on this bolt," Mei explained, adjusting her crimson and black mask with one hand. "But I thought the color was so pretty. It would have been a shame to waste it."

"Very true! And your handiwork with the princess's gown is beyond compare as expected," Tamaki continued.

For a moment, Mei turned a shade of red that matched at least one of the colors of her dress. "Thank you."

As the dance floor continued to attract groups awaiting the first dance of the evening, Haruhi glanced to one of the smaller doors leading into the ballroom. Yuko burst into the room, looking harried. Yet the queen's second advisor paused in the door and ran a hand through her hair. She then took a deep breath and began to edge towards the raised dais bearing the monarch's throne. Misuzu already stood to the right of the throne. Haruhi thought that a ghost of a smile came to the first advisor's lips as Yuko stopped on the left side of the throne.

" _I wonder where Dad is,"_ Haruhi thought.

It didn't take long for her question to be answered. Moments later, the double doors opened and the herald announced, "Presenting His Majesty, Queen Ranka Fujioka!"

The guests cheered and clapped along with offering curtsies and bows.

"I apologize for being so late!" Ranka declared as he swept over to the dais. "It's been so long since we've had a ball that I've all but forgotten how to prepare for one!"

The court laughed as the queen took his seat on the throne. Yet, Haruhi looked from her father, whose usually straight red hair had been coaxed into a profusion of curls, then to Mei. The lady-in-waiting seemed to have noticed this hairstyle switch as well and gestured to her hair with one hand followed by a confused shrug. Haruhi shrugged in response. Her father loathed wearing such tight curls. Haruhi couldn't imagine why he had chosen to do so tonight.

"Now, now! Don't mind me! On with the festivities, please!" Ranka said.

The twins arrived with Ayame and Sumire just as the musicians prepared to begin the first dance. And after a few quick taps for silence from the conductor, the _quadrille_ began with the first movement: _le pantalon._

After the number of dance lessons that the troupe had given over the last couple of weeks, Haruhi found herself slipping into the dance with ease. The measured parading back and forth and turns were much simpler than she remembered. And it seemed that the lessons had paid off for the rest of the court as well. The bumping into each other and apologizing while fumbling about that had accompanied the first dance lessons had given way to an ordered elegance.

This change didn't escape the notice of the troupe.

"Well, milord, looks like you've taught the court something after all," Hikaru said as they started into the second dance, _L'été_.

"Looks like even Bossanova has improved," Kaoru remarked, nodding to a nearby group that the red-headed gardener had joined.

Tamaki beamed. "Good! I can only hope that everyone is enjoying themselves. Worrying over something as silly as being able to dance can be such a damper on an evening!"

The _quadrille_ passed through all five dances without incident. As the musicians prepared for their next piece, the troupe members escorted their partners off of the floor.

"Thank you for a wonderful first dance," Tamaki said with a smile at each of the ladies that had joined their group. "But I'm afraid we can't monopolize your time."

"Even though we'd like to," Hikaru added.

Ayame and Sumire giggled but Mei and Haruhi simply nodded.

"I'm sure some of the other ladies are waiting to dance with all of you," Mei said.

"Probably," Honey chimed in.

"I suppose we should go before the next dance starts," Kaoru said.

With that, the troupe members bowed and excused themselves.

Left to themselves, Mei turned to Haruhi with a bright grin. "This is wonderful! I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am."

Haruhi laughed. "I'm sure I am."

"Um, excuse me—" The princess and her lady-in-waiting turned to a gentleman in a black half mask.

"Ah, Cassanova! How are you?" Haruhi asked.

Kasanoda reddened. "Is it that obvious who I am?"

"It's the hair," Mei said. "You're the only redhead other than His Majesty."

Kasanoda let out a sigh. "Oh. That's it then."

The mention of hair reminded Haruhi of another individual in the room. She looked over to the dais, only to find that the throne was empty. She frowned, but returned her attention to the conversation at hand.

Kasanoda stammered, "Uh, well, Mei, I was wondering if you'd like the next dance?"

"Sure." Mei replied without hesitation. She took his arm. "Lead the way!"

Haruhi couldn't help but feel sorry for the gardener who had stiffened the moment Mei touched him.

"Er, um—right," he said.

As the couple walked back to the floor, Mei glanced back to Haruhi and winked. Haruhi shook her head with a smile.

She watched the next few dances, playing a game with herself as she tried to figure out which courtier was behind each mask. But as the dances went on, she noticed that she didn't see any of the troupe members on the floor. That seemed _quite_ strange.

"Happy birthday, Highness!" Two of the nearest courtiers chorused.

Haruhi peered at them. "Kazukiyo? Momoka?"

The two courtiers removed their masks with wide smiles. "We're honored that you recognized us!" Momoka exclaimed. "Tonight has been so much fun!"

"Highness, would you like to dance?" Kazukiyo asked.

Haruhi's head tilted to one side. "Kazukiyo, I didn't think you danced."

Kazukiyo chuckled nervously. "Well, I think the troupe's dance lessons helped a bit."

Part of Haruhi could sense a plot brewing, but she accompanied Kazukiyo onto the floor.

The musicians started into a stirring waltz. Kazukiyo swallowed as he bowed and took a close stance.

"Sorry if I step on your toes," he muttered as they started to dance.

Unable to restrain her curiosity any longer, Haruhi asked, "Is there something going on?"

Kazukiyo paled. "Going on? Whatever do you mean?"

Haruhi simply stared at him. He offered a weak grin in response.

Someone tapped Kazukiyo on the shoulder. The courtier turned and stepped back from Haruhi without a word. Before the princess could protest, she found herself with a new partner who was decked in dark purple and gold with a gold half mask. She scrutinized this interloper for a moment.

"Kyoya?"

"Excellent work, Highness. And without so much as my voice to go on," Kyoya remarked.

"Where's the rest of the troupe?"

"I'm sure they're around here somewhere," the illusionist replied noncommittally.

"There _is_ something going on, isn't there?"

"Why yes—I think you'll find there's a ball going on."

Haruhi narrowed her eyes behind her mask and grumbled, "That's not what I meant."

Kyoya chuckled, but didn't answer.

As they continued across the floor, Haruhi said, "Um, don't you need your glasses? It doesn't seem like you'd be able to see like that."

"Simply because something isn't visible to your eyes doesn't mean it's not there," Kyoya said.

"Wait, what?"

But Kyoya stepped back and bowed. "Highness."

As the illusionist slipped into the crowd, a giant took his place. Haruhi simply stared before accepting the offer to dance. There was something very strange about this partner. "Honey, is that you? And…" Haruhi took a closer look at a small slit in the shirt and coat of the man. " _Mori?"_

"Awww, you recognized us that easily?" Honey complained from his place on Mori's shoulders.

Haruhi blinked, then began giggling. "Well, it is just a little obvious."

But she took Mori's hands and they glided across the floor with an ease that Haruhi wouldn't have expected from a two person team.

"So Kyoya wouldn't answer me—what's happening?" Haruhi asked.

"Nothing," Mori's voice replied.

Haruhi sighed, realizing that she probably wouldn't get any answers anytime soon.

After a few turns around the floor, Mori and Honey stepped back and a blue-coated individual with a blue eye mask bowed to her. Haruhi took a moment as they danced before guessing, "Hikaru, right?"

"You have it, Highness," Hikaru replied.

"So if you're here, then where's Kaoru?" Haruhi asked.

In an unconventional move, Kaoru spun Haruhi out and away from him and released her hand. Someone else in a green coat and mask took her other hand.

"Here I am, Highness," Kaoru said.

Haruhi glanced over to see Mei dancing with Hikaru. The lady-in-waiting waved.

"So Mei is in on it too," Haruhi muttered.

"In on what?" Kaoru asked with a guileless smile.

The spinning routine back and forth between the twins continued for several more rounds. Then, on one spin, both twins disappeared at once. Haruhi stopped, looking about in surprise.

Another dancer, decked in a red coat embroidered with golden thread and a red hook nosed mask, detached from the crowd. He bowed and offered a hand. Haruhi took it and said, "I know you're the one that planned all this, Tamaki."

Her partner laughed. "Oh, I had a great deal of help."

"You know that Yuko will probably ruin whatever you're thinking of doing," Haruhi said.

"I wouldn't say that," Tamaki said with a slightly smug grin towards the dais Yuko and Misuzu stood on.

"Why?" Haruhi asked. "Surely she knows who I am. A simple mask won't disguise that. Besides, I was announced."

"I think you'll find that we've made several preparations for such an occasion. First, Yuko was…delayed by some machinations of the twins. She arrived to the ballroom far after your announcement."

Haruhi thought back to the flustered expression on the advisor's face when she had entered the ballroom. "Oh."

"And I believe that she'll have quite a time sorting through your doubles in the crowd," Tamaki continued.

"Doubles?" Haruhi echoed.

Tamaki nodded to one side of the floor. "Look there."

Haruhi spotted a girl with long dark hair done in a similar style to hers dancing with Hikaru. Her dress was sky blue with silver accents that was not _quite_ like Haruhi's gown, but a silver tiara perched on her head. When the girl turned, Haruhi realized with a start that it was Renge wearing a wig. The troupe's manager smiled secretively as she spotted Haruhi.

"Several of the other court ladies volunteered for the task as well," Tamaki explained. "I think we have at least four other princesses with us tonight."

Haruhi laughed in disbelief. "That's brilliant!"

"Thank you, Highness."

"But what is all of this for? Surely you have to have a good reason for it."

Just then, the waltz came to an end. Tamaki released the princess and bowed deeply. "I think I will leave a much more capable individual to explain that reason."

Someone cleared their throat behind Haruhi. She turned to find a final partner in a rose colored coat with a golden half mask painted with lines of rose and studded with crystals.

Haruhi couldn't place him.

She could see dark brown hair behind the mask, but it didn't match any of the courtiers that came to mind.

The man shook his head with a laugh. "Surely you recognize me. But I suppose it has been some time since you've seen my hair like this."

Haruhi's mouth dropped open.

"Dad!"

Ryoji smiled. "Of course, sweetheart."

He bowed and held out a hand to her as the orchestra started into another waltz. Haruhi curtseyed and took his hand, genuine joy in the smile at her lips.

As they spun across the floor, Haruhi remembered all of the balls from so long ago that they had danced like this. A few tears pricked at her eyes.

"Oh dear, what's wrong?" Ryoji asked.

Haruhi shook her head. "Nothing. I'm just happy."

"I'm so glad. I wanted to make this night as special as I could."

"Did you plan this?"

"I wish I could take credit, but this was all done by _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_. They approached me about the idea when they first decided to throw a ball."

"Really?"

"Yes. I have to say I'm very impressed with their ingenuity. It took a great deal of thought to pull this off. Plus a bit of misdirection."

"Does that include the curled wig?" Haruhi asked.

Ryoji winced. "I still hate that thing, but Kyoya insisted…Said it would help with my current disguise."

Haruhi realized that Ranka's grand entrance and the troupe's unmasked first dances must have also been part of Kyoya's trick. Anything to direct suspicion elsewhere.

"Now, I think there's a very important revelation in all of this," Ryoji said.

Haruhi glanced up curiously and her father finished, "Someone along the way listened carefully to your concerns."

Haruhi thought back to the day she had talked about dancing with her father. "I guess they did."

"I'm very happy to see that you have such good friends."

Another smile twitched at Haruhi's lips. "Yeah. I'm glad to have them."

She cast a look at the crowd surrounding the floor and saw the troupe members standing together. As they passed by, she mouthed "thank you." The troupe members grinned in response.

And so the gathered assembly watched as the king and his daughter twirled through the other couples on the floor in perfect unison.

* * *

The next chapter excerpt is...

 ** _Tamaki stopped short._**

 ** _"Oh, Highness. I didn't expect you to be out here," he said._**

 ** _Haruhi shrugged as she leaned against the balustrade of the balcony. "I had to take a second. Between the dancing and the chatter, I needed a little quiet."_**

 ** _"Understandable," Tamaki replied, recalling all the times he had escaped to the exterior of the ballroom in Alsance. Even the most social monarch grew weary of smiling at times. "I can leave if you would like."_**

 ** _"You're welcome to stay. I'd like to talk to you anyway."_**

Oh my. What could the princess possibly want to talk about? Check back next Monday to find out!


	63. Chapter 63: Unexpected Occurrences

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **MagicQuill42:** Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

 **Sabrinabella:** I am so glad you enjoyed it and are looking forward to this chapter! As for whether or not Haruhi discovers Tamaki's real identity, there may be quite some time before that happens. Thank you for the good luck wishes and it's great to hear from you again!

 **lillyannp:** Please, don't feel bad! I am always happy to get corrections where they're needed! I'm afraid that Nanowrimo fatigue had set in fully while I was writing that chapter, so I'm just glad to see that it was only one minor catch. Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!

 **Penstar1331:** Very happy to hear that you enjoyed the last two chapters! I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!

 **swimmer1102:** Aww, you're too sweet! And thank you for suggesting the idea!

 **panda808:** Don't apologize! I know that people are busy and don't always have time to review every chapter. I'm always happy to see reviews, no matter how frequent they are. Your suggestions with Yuko have been noted and I agree with your critique completely. I'm afraid the delay is partially due to issues with the fic timeline as the chapters I have planned in regards to that arc require it to be springtime rather than winter. But we will be back on track there fairly soon! So glad you enjoyed the chapter and it's great to hear from you again!

 **tmwillson3:** I'm glad you liked it! And read on for the answer to your question! Very interesting point about those random facts-you've definitely sparked a thought that I'll discuss in just a bit!

 **Adelaide's Anagram:** Alsance is a real place? Well, you've even taught me something new! I simply squished together a few city/region names until I came up with something I was happy with! So glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Now, the past couple of reader questions have discussed what should be done in regards to the 250 review milestone. This week will be along the same lines. A suggestion by tmwillson3 sparked an idea for me that may or may not be helpful. **What do you guys think of including a "cast interview" chapter?** This would definitely take a somewhat sillier approach and can be done a couple of ways. The first would be an in-character, in-AU option. This would involve the cast of characters being asked questions while adhering to their roles in this AU. The second would be an in-character, out-of-AU option. This would be taken from the perspective of the characters adhering to their manga and anime roles, but treating this fanfic and AU like a performance or movie (dare I say...similarly to Renge's movie?) Thus, it would sort of be like a "behind-the-scenes" feature in a film. In this case, it would have to be decided whether the "interview" would take place post-anime or post-manga. In any case, appropriate spoiler alerts will be issued before the chapter. So, if you have an opinion here, please send it in! If you don't like the idea, I definitely want to know so I can work on other suggestions. If you like the idea, please include which option you prefer (in AU or out-of-AU) and if you have any questions you'd like to see asked to our "cast," send those in too!

So our Reader Wishlist topic this post is about a character that _will_ be popping up at some point, I just can't quite say when yet. That character is... **Arai!** I would love to see any and all suggestions here as Arai really only had a brief time to be developed in the anime and manga. So please send in your thoughts!

As much as I wish I could announce the triumphant return of the twice a week schedule this week, I'm afraid Nanowrimo fatigue still has the upper hand on me. But, fingers crossed, I will hopefully be able to get a couple of chapters ahead of the posting schedule in the next week and we can get back to updating twice a week. So, the next update will be **next Monday!**

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a castle has a trick that leads to quite a surprise.

* * *

As the evening went on, Tamaki gladly danced through the glittering ballroom with any of the court ladies that asked him. But even the Waltz King could grow tired of swirling about the floor. So, when he caught a chance, he slipped out of the ballroom to the balcony outside.

Tamaki stopped short as soon as he stepped out.

"Oh, Highness. I didn't expect you to be out here," he said.

Haruhi shrugged as she leaned against the balustrade of the balcony. "I had to take a second. Between the dancing and the chatter, I needed a little quiet."

"Understandable," Tamaki replied, recalling all the times he had escaped to the exterior of the ballroom in Alsance. Even the most social monarch grew weary of smiling at times. "I can leave if you would like."

"You're welcome to stay. I'd like to talk to you anyway."

Intrigued, Tamaki walked over to her. "As you wish, princess."

"I wanted to thank you. Properly," Haruhi said.

"You don't have to do that—" Tamaki started.

"No, I do," Haruhi persisted. "I know how much effort it had to take to plan everything. From the ball itself to the dance with Dad—you paid attention to all the little things that really mattered. I want you to know that it means a lot to me. So, thank you."

Tamaki couldn't resist the smile that came to his lips. "Of course, princess, you're quite welcome. I do try to make sure every detail is perfect and significant with everything I do. But I'm sure you already saw that with your lantern."

Haruhi blinked. "What about the lantern?"

Tamaki chuckled. "Ah, so there's still another surprise for you! Listen to the tune carefully next time you open it."

Haruhi's expression turned puzzled, but she nodded.

For a moment, they simply stood in silence, taking in the view of the warm lights spilling from the houses below. Tamaki paced the edge of the balcony a bit, but did nothing to disturb the comfortable silence they had fallen into.

Finally, Haruhi shivered and chafed at her arms. "Well, it feels like it's getting colder. We probably need to go back inside."

Tamaki turned back to her with a grin. "Well, princess, might I beg the privilege of being allowed to escort you in?"

Haruhi rolled her eyes but a smile played over her features. "Sure, if you really want to."

Yet as Tamaki crossed the balcony, the castle had a trick up its sleeve. A stone jutted up _just_ above some of its surrounding siblings set in the floor.

It was just enough for him to catch his foot on…

And trip forward.

Any attempt to regain his balance was in vain. He tumbled towards the princess.

Somehow in the ensuing chaos, their lips touched.

It took a moment for his mind to register what had happened.

The second it did sink in, he jumped back.

A wave of absolute mortification washed over him. His head snapped about, peering at the windows leading to the ballroom. Fortunately, there was no one standing near them. Meaning they had a good chance that no one had seen that…accident.

He glanced back to her. She looked just as shocked as he felt.

"I…um…" It turned out he couldn't exactly form words. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Hi…Highness, I—I'm afraid that…that incident could be easily misinterpreted. And is…something His Majesty would not be unjustified in demanding my head for."

Haruhi nodded in stunned silence.

"As I'm quite attached to the aforementioned cranium, it might be best if…" Tamaki trailed off.

"We acted as if it never happened?" Haruhi suggested.

Tamaki nodded. "Yes."

"Done." Haruhi swallowed and the blush began to die down from her cheeks. "I guess…we should go in?"

As if on cue, the doors to the ballroom opened and Hikaru and Kaoru stuck their heads out. "Highness, everyone is waiting on you! The chefs have your cake ready!"

"Right—uh—I'll be right in," Haruhi said.

Tamaki offered his arm, but couldn't bring himself to look at her. "Highness."

She took his arm, but did not look at him or say anything. They returned to the ballroom in silence, followed by the perplexed glances of the twins.

As the celebrations continued and the cake was cut, Tamaki tried not to think about what had happened. Yet the dazzling festivities couldn't distract him and his mind continued to circle back to it.

It hadn't been a kiss. It couldn't have been a kiss. To Tamaki, a kiss, _especially_ a first kiss, was the kind of thing that was accompanied by a resounding swell of an orchestra. Well, at least, an imagined orchestra.

It was _certainly_ not a thing caused by a mere slip!

So, he firmly decided that _whatever_ had happened, it was most certainly _not_ a kiss.

Even if the faint tones of an imaginary orchestra had reached him during it.

#

Haruhi retired to her chambers shortly before the end of the party. Mei helped her out of her dress and wished her one more happy birthday before exiting the princess's bedroom.

For a brief second, the thought of what had happened on the balcony entered into her mind. She blocked it out with an absolute stubbornness that would surpass any cart-mule in the city.

 _"It didn't happen. It didn't happen. Never happened. Don't think about it. All that happened was you thanked him, he mentioned something about the lantern, then you both walked back inside."_ she thought. And after a few minutes of repeating this chant, the thought withered up and died away. Or at least Haruhi hoped it did.

Reminded of Tamaki's words from earlier, she opened the lantern to allow the butterflies to flutter out. They settled all over the room and the tinkling tune began. Haruhi listened carefully and a slow smile came to her lips. She recognized the tune as the first waltz she had danced with Tamaki during the dance lessons.

While the music continued, Haruhi went to her dresser and ensured that the tiara and necklace had been put away with care. Yet as she admired the jewels in the pale moonlight filtering in from her window, a draft passed over her.

"Haruhi."

Not recognizing the voice, she blinked and glanced around the room.

"Haruhi." The voice came again. It seemed to be coming from the living room of the chambers.

The princess closed both jewelry cases and crept out into the living area.

The room was bathed in a blue light unlike the silvery moonlight that floated in from the windows. But the moment Haruhi reached the entrance of the parlor, she gasped and froze.

A woman—who appeared to be the source of the blue light—floated in front of a small table by the line of windows. An angelic smile graced her features.

"Mo…mom?" Haruhi whispered.

"I can't believe it's already your eighteenth birthday." Ichio's queen shook her head slowly. "I know people will say that you're all grown up now. But don't be afraid to enjoy life. And always trust your heart-it will usually guide you well."

"I…I will." The tears were already falling down Haruhi's cheeks.

Kotoko's smile widened slightly. "I'm so proud of you. Happy birthday, sweetheart. I love you."

But there was something terribly final about these words. Haruhi broke from her frozen state and started forward. "Wait, Mom! Don't go!"

Yet before Haruhi could reach her, Kotoko faded from sight.

Haruhi collapsed onto the table, a sob pushing past her lips. "Mom…"

As she cried, her hand brushed something on the table. She raised her head and peered at it.

Two roses, one red and one white, intertwined and formed the shape of a heart. As Haruhi considered them, her tears began to slow and a smile came to her lips. She took the roses from her mother's garden and settled them carefully in a vase of their own.

#

"Good evening—or should I say good morning, Misuzu?" The queen and his first advisor burst into a chorus of raucous laughter as they headed back to their rooms with a scattering of courtiers and staff waving them off.

"Good evening everyone!" Misuzu exclaimed as he walked down the hall with the queen.

The duo soon started up the stairs and the advisor began, "By the way, Ranka, you pulled off an excellent masquerade tonight."

Ranka grinned. "Thank you. I couldn't have done it without the help of the troupe."

"In any case, people will be talking about this ball for years," Misuzu said.

"I hope so."

They reached the top of the stairs. "Well, rest well, Majesty," Misuzu said.

"You too, Misuzu. You too."

With that, the queen headed for his chambers.

But someone was waiting for him outside of the chamber doors.

"Majesty, if you have a moment, I need to speak to you," Yuko said.

"Oh, Yuko, it's so late! Can't this wait until tomorrow?" Ranka asked.

"I'm afraid not, Majesty."

"Very well, come in," Ranka said, waving her into the chambers wearily.

Ranka took a seat at his desk and folded his hands. "Please, go ahead."

"I'm sure you're aware that the princess's eighteenth birthday marks a very significant milestone," Yuko said. "By law, she is no longer a child."

Ranka winced. "Yes, I am quite aware."

"As such, the search for a proper suitor must begin in true earnest. In my time here, I have been content to allow things to pass by. You understand that this cannot continue any longer. After all, my reputation is at stake as well if I am not able to match the princess in a suitable period."

Ranka ran a hand through his hair with a sigh, but nodded. "I understand. But what would you propose? Haruhi has turned away all of your approved suitors."

"I have a plan in mind, but even it may take patience to bring it to fruition. I simply ask that my methods not be drawn into question."

Ranka bowed his head. He might not fully trust his new second advisor, but she could very well be the best chance Haruhi had for a good marriage.

So, with a heavy heart, he said, "Very well, Yuko. Do what you must."

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Kyoya walked into the Great Hall to a chorus of sobs.**_

 _ **"Takashi! I can't find it anywhere!" Honey cried.**_

 _ **The tearful blonde sat in the middle of a pile of stuffed animals. Mori sat next to him, looking on in concern.**_

 _ **"What has happened here?" Kyoya asked.**_

 _ **"Kyoya, it's my mirror! My magic mirror from Reiko! I know it was here, but it's gone!" Honey wept.**_

 _ **"It might have been stolen," Mori said.**_

 _ **The illusionist's eyes narrowed. In an instant, he began formulating a list of suspects.**_

Oh dear. Looks as if someone may be suffering Kyoya's wrath quite soon. But who would steal Honey's magic mirror...and why? Check back next Monday as the search begins!


	64. Chapter 64: A Gentlemen's Agreement

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses kick us off!

 **Fairyprincess013:** Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I will keep your comments about the interview chapter in mind. Thank you very much for the review!

 **panda808:** Yes-spring will be here very soon! And perhaps Haruhi will become a bit more connected with her emotions rather than performing the imperceptive brick wall act she's chosen. Your suggestions with Arai are duly noted and thank you!

 **lillyannp:** Ironically, before writing that chapter, I didn't think there would be one either. I suppose Adelaide's Anagram should be thanked for that as their comment sparked the idea! As for the mirrors, read on! The hunt for the thief begins here!

 **tmwillson3:** I was really stumped on something to replace the 'random banana peel' that caused the accidental kiss in the anime, so I am very glad to hear that you approve of the stones! Your suggestions with the cast interview and Arai have been noted-thank you!

 **swimmer1102:** As I mentioned to lillyannp, I really didn't expect the kiss either. But the suggestion somehow worked its way into that chapter! Very glad you're enjoying it and don't be _too_ upset about Honey! He's pretty tough after all!

 **god-007:** I am so glad to hear that you're enjoying the story so far! I hope to include a bit more with Haruhi and the twins soon, but unfortunately those chapters will require a bit of build up first (and for the timeline to FINALLY reach springtime). Thank you very much for the review and I hope you enjoy the rest of the fic!

So, simply because we are at a one-to-one tie right now in regards to the interview chapter, the reader question is going to stay the same for this update! **What do you guys think of including a "cast interview" chapter?** This will either be an in-AU or out-of-AU (AKA in the realm of the original anime and manga) chapter that won't necessarily be connected to the fic's timeline. In the out-of-AU case, I would need votes as to whether it would occur post-anime or post-manga. In both cases, I also need questions to ask the characters so please fire away with anything you would like to know!

This update I have to say that I am a little stumped for a Reader Wishlist topic. I've covered the majority of the necessary characters. As such, I'd like to know: **are there any Reader Wishlist topics you would like to see included in future chapters?** I am always open to catching topics that I might have missed and you guys always make such wonderful suggestions that it makes writing this fic easy!

I am sad to say that the twice a week schedule will not be returning this week. I am in the midst of finishing a rewrite for one of my original novels and attempting not to lose the momentum I've built up for that piece. I also don't want to cheat any part of this fanfic, so I definitely want to be writing ahead of the posting schedule before I return to the twice a week schedule. For now, the next update will be **next Monday**.

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a certain mirror disappears!

* * *

The princess's birthday celebration left the castle in a state of effervescent ebullience for days that soon stretched into weeks. But despite the cheerful mood, a low current of whispers soon started to flow through the corridors.

The princess was _eighteen_ now and had not a single suitor in sight.

No one wanted to admit it, but it did not bode well for a marriage.

As his typical duty had not changed from the court of Alsance to the court of Ichio, Kyoya kept careful tabs on all of this castle gossip. He knew that most of the staff and court didn't care for such antiquated notions and would have gladly allowed Haruhi to take the throne by herself. Yet law was law. After all, a kingdom with a lone queen might easily become prey to less friendly countries. And more than anything, Ichio needed to develop strong alliances rather than make more enemies.

But the court was fiercely protective of their princess. They would not accept simply _anyone_ that wished to marry Haruhi. At the very least, the suitor would have to be a good man that treated her well and had a sense of duty to his kingdom. At best, he would be a grand prince among men and both he and the princess would be madly in love with each other. But the court knew such chances were slim. The illusionist also gathered that if the princess didn't send an unacceptable suitor away, the court had its own plans for getting rid of such an individual.

Kyoya mulled over these court concerns one morning as he walked from the castle kitchens to the Great Hall. The court's expectations for the princess's future suitor did promise some hope for Tamaki. After all, he had already won over most of the court with ease. There was no doubt that he was a good man that knew how to treat a lady. Some might consider him a prince among men.

However, Kyoya hesitated at making a judgement on the _other_ concerns. Love was fickle and thus worthy of absolutely no thought whatsoever. And apparently, Tamaki's sense of duty to _his_ court had slipped a bit. The illusionist planned on reminding him of that obligation _quite_ soon. And if Tamaki decided to ignore such a reminder, Kyoya would prod the young king to action. Forcefully, if necessary.

But today was not that day. A new crisis had arisen that would require the illusionist's attention.

Kyoya walked into the Great Hall to a chorus of sobs.

"Takashi! I can't find it anywhere!" Honey cried.

The tearful blonde sat in the middle of a pile of stuffed animals. Mori sat next to him, looking on in concern.

"What has happened here?" Kyoya asked.

"Kyoya, it's my mirror! My magic mirror from Reiko! I know it was here, but it's gone!" Honey wept.

"It might have been stolen," Mori said.

The illusionist's eyes narrowed. In an instant, he began formulating a list of suspects.

The twins were the obvious first choice—perhaps they were playing some kind of a prank.

So when the two entered the Great Hall, Kyoya rounded on them.

"Did either of you have something to do with this?" he asked, gesturing to Honey.

The twins took one look at their distraught companion and shook their heads. "No! What happened?"

"Someone has taken the mirror Reiko gave Honey. You're absolutely _certain_ you're not playing an ill-advised prank?"

"We wouldn't do something like that," Kaoru declared.

"Even if we did, we would give it back if it upset Honey that badly," Hikaru added.

Kyoya nodded. "Fine. See if you can help him find it."

"Where are you going?" Kaoru asked as Kyoya started for the door of the Great Hall.

"To find my next suspect."

Kyoya marched through the castle, checking each of the courtyards as he went. He discovered his target in the empty southern courtyard.

"Kasanoda. I have a matter to discuss with you," Kyoya stated as he stopped at the foot of the ladder that Kasanoda stood on.

The gardener gulped when he caught sight of the illusionist. "Uh, er, yeah."

Kyoya waited with his arms crossed as Kasanoda carefully stepped down from the ladder.

"What do you need?" Kasanoda asked.

"A certain hand mirror belonging to Honey has gone missing. You wouldn't have an idea of what happened to it, would you?"

Kasanoda's face darkened. "Wait a second, are you accusing me of stealing it?"

"Interesting conclusion to come to. Sign of a guilty conscience?" Kyoya asked.

"No way!" Kasanoda exclaimed. "I owe a loyalty debt to your ki—"

Kyoya shot him a warning glance.

Kasanoda amended, "I owe a loyalty debt to your leader. Do you really think I'd repay that by stealing from one of his friends?"

"I had assumed as much. However, I had to be sure. And none of your men could be involved?"

"No. Tetsuya is the only one who ever visits me here. Even then, it's only to deliver bread from the bakery he works at, so he wouldn't have time to steal something. Besides, he'd never betray me like that," Kasanoda said.

Kyoya frowned. The second and third suspects on his list had been crossed off. "Very well. If you happen across the mirror, return it to the Great Hall as soon as possible."

"Right." Kasanoda replied.

With that, the illusionist returned to the interior of the castle. He strode through the halls, pondering who he should visit next. Could it be one of the court ladies who admired Honey? Would they go so far as to take what seemed to be a simple trinket as a reminder of their favorite performer?

Perhaps he needed to find Renge or Mei. Either could have picked up the mirror by accident if it had been left out in the Great Hall.

Or maybe a staff member had taken it, assuming that it belonged to one of the court ladies.

Yet he didn't have long to consider the possibilities as a new option presented itself.

Kyoya spotted a cloaked figure stepping out from one of the walls of the corridor. Kyoya knew that the castle likely had a number of hidden passages, but this was the first time he had seen one in use.

"Your Grace," he called.

The Duke of Tokare jumped with a muffled cry. But Nekozawa put on a straight face before turning to Kyoya.

"Ah, Kyoya. You surprised me."

"Might I trouble you for a moment?" Kyoya asked. "Though I don't want to delay you if you are…headed somewhere."

The duke's expression turned wary. Yes, here was an _excellent_ candidate for the mirror thief. "I have plenty of time."

"Well, there is a matter of a certain hand mirror belonging to one of our troupe. A mage like you might find it unique as it has certain enchantments upon it—"

"You mean there's a second mirror missing?" Nekozawa blurted out.

Kyoya blinked. "A _second_?"

Nekozawa reddened. "I suppose I have to be truthful now. I am in possession of a similar enchanted mirror. Or rather, I _was_. But I discovered that it was missing this morning. I can only assume that it has been stolen."

This was quite a change. Who on earth would be bold enough to steal from both the troupe _and_ one of the kingdom's dukes? "Do you have any ideas regarding the identity of the thief?"

"None. I have tried every spell I know to track them down, but to no avail. But if they've stolen from you, perhaps we could join forces?"

Kyoya considered this offer. "That is a possibility. However, I would have to know a few things first."

"Such as?"

"How much do you know about us, Your Grace?"

Nekozawa smiled slightly. "Enough to know that you of all people shouldn't find it necessary to refer to my formal title. After all, a royal advisor easily ranks with a duke."

Kyoya's mouth tightened. "Ah."

"But trust me—I have no desire to interfere. In fact, certain parties have convinced me of your troupe's good intentions," Nekozawa said.

"Reiko?" Kyoya guessed.

Nekozawa shrugged. "You'll find that black magic circles are quite small. She contacted me before your troupe had even left Alsance."

Kyoya shook his head, a slight grin coming to his lips. That witch. Of course she had. "Well, Your Grace, I trust that we can coexist peacefully for the time being?"

"As I said, I have no desire to interfere. I see no reason to involve myself in others' affairs if they are not involved in mine. Otherwise, we get into unpleasant things like repercussions."

Excellent. The duke was at least a reasonable man. "That can easily be arranged. And in such a case, I believe we need to attend to these missing mirrors."

Kyoya offered a hand and the dark duke shook it, saying, "Where shall we start?"

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"All the spells you have attempted have been related to finding the perpetrator, correct?" Kyoya asked.**_

 _ **"Yes. And not a single one has yielded any results," Nekozawa replied.**_

 _ **"Then perhaps we've been looking for the wrong thing," Kyoya said.**_

 _ **At Nekozawa's perplexed look, the illusionist added, "Tracing spells are highly visual forms of magic. They require a clear image of the object or person being sought to work correctly. We have no identity for our thief. So, we should seek out the mirrors instead."**_

So will this tracing spell lead the illusionist and the dark duke to the stolen mirrors? And _who_ exactly has taken these enchanted objects? Check back next Monday to find out!


	65. Chapter 65: The Mirror Thief

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **Penstar1331:** Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it!

 **MagicQuill42:** Excellent! I'm happy to hear you think it's a good idea! I'll add your vote to the pile!

 **Adelaide's Anagram:** I dorked out **so** much when I read this review! As a total word-geek, I always _love_ a good etymology lesson! I am very glad to hear you enjoyed both chapters and please don't worry about reviewing every chapter. Don't get me wrong, I always love seeing reviews, but I completely understand that everyone is busy! Thank you for teaching me something new and providing an excellent Reader Wishlist prompt!

 **tmwillson3:** If you like seeing them work together, then buckle up! This chapter has more Nekozawa and Kyoya fun to come. Thanks for your vote with the interview chapter too! As for the thief's identity, read on!

 **lillyannp:** Well, I couldn't let everyone get _too_ comfortable after Haruhi's birthday bash. As for your other questions, read on!

 **swimmer1102:** Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!

So, as the votes seem to be "yay's" for the cast interview chapter, the reader question is up for a slight change. **What questions would you like to see asked during the cast-interview?** I am leaning towards a in-AU interview setting, but I'm definitely not absolutely convinced yet. In any case, this chapter will be isolated from the main action so that all questions are fair game. If there's anything you want to know, fire away!

And, per the suggestion from Adelaide's Anagram, the Reader Wishlist is up for a change. This update, the topic is **Antoinette!** Our delightful puppy has been absent for some time now. Perhaps she's been on some sort of adventure? Or should she be involved in fun shenanigans to come? I'd love to hear your thoughts so send them in!

With the holidays coming up, I am unfortunately pretty busy. Even more unfortunately, I'm still not ahead of the posting schedule. As such, I am going to set a very _tentative_ next update time of **next Monday** **.** If for some reason I'm absolutely swamped and can't manage a chapter this week, I'll put up an author's note with the next posting time that will then be updated with the new chapter. I know followers are usually notified with new chapters, but I'm not sure if updates will notify readers as well, so keep an eye out!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a duke and an illusionist go on a hunt.

* * *

The dark duke and the illusionist sought out the peace and quiet of the library to conduct their work. Kyoya listened with a frown as Nekozawa listed off some of the spells and rituals he had attempted to find the thief.

"And all the spells you have attempted have been related to finding the perpetrator, correct?" Kyoya asked.

"Yes. And not a single one has yielded any results," Nekozawa replied.

"Then perhaps we've been looking for the wrong thing," Kyoya said.

At Nekozawa's perplexed look, the illusionist added, "Tracing spells are highly visual forms of magic. They require a clear image of the object or person being sought to work correctly. We have no identity for our thief. So, we should seek out the mirrors instead."

"How will we do that?" Nekozawa asked as Kyoya rose.

"With my magic and your memories," Kyoya replied, pulling a crystalline sphere from the pocket of his robes.

Nekozawa shot him a rather nervous glance. "My memories?"

"As I have only seen Honey's enchanted mirror once or twice, my mental image of the mirrors will be quite vague. I assume that you've handled your mirror a few times which means that your mental image will be much more detailed. The more detailed the mental image, the stronger the spell will be," Kyoya explained. He raised the crystal to one eye and placed a hand on Nekozawa's shoulder. "I want you to imagine the mirror in as much detail as you can."

Nekozawa eyed the illusionist.

Kyoya smirked. "Feel free to close your eyes. I don't bite."

At that, Nekozawa sighed and closed his eyes.

A few seconds later, an image began to form in Kyoya's mind's eye. It was of a silver mirror engraved with…rosettes? Yes, those were definitely rosettes on the handle. They spiraled around the handle and bordered the back of the mirror which also bore a flower motif in the center. If Kyoya concentrated, he could see tiny sparks of magic hovering about the mirror.

Now, to _find_ it.

The crystal sphere suddenly shot out of Kyoya's fingers. It whizzed down the hall, leaving a trail of sparkling blue dust behind it.

Nekozawa opened his eyes and let out a low whistle. "That worked quickly."

Kyoya tried to keep the smug smile from his lips, but it somehow worked its way to his face anyway. "Shall we?"

They followed the path of the crystal through the labyrinth of hallways in the castle. It eventually led them to the eastern wing of the castle and up to the second floor. It then disappeared through one of the myriad of doors.

"It's locked," Kyoya muttered when he tried the door.

"Not a problem," Nekozawa declared. The dark duke put a hand to the lock and a tiny flash flared on his finger. The door unlocked in an instant.

"Can that be put back?" Kyoya inquired as they edged into the room.

"Usually," Nekozawa said as he put his hand on the other side of the knob. The door locked back.

The interior of the room was tidied to a level that even Kyoya would declare pathological. Not a single wrinkle stood out on the brilliant white covers of the bed. The blank papers on the writing desk were stacked with careful precision. In fact, save for the single leather bag sitting on the dresser, the room hardly looked like someone lived in it.

With these observations, Kyoya concluded, "I suppose this is Yuko's room."

Nekozawa cringed. "What? Why on earth would _she_ steal these mirrors?"

Kyoya crossed the room to the dresser with a shrug. "As it is enchanted, perhaps she assumed that the mirror belonged to me. And in stealing from two magic users, maybe she believed it would set us against each other."

Nekozawa began rummaging through the room's wardrobe. "A foolhardy attempt."

"Quite." Kyoya flicked the flap of the leather bag open with a magical breeze. No reason to get his hands dirty unless absolutely necessary.

Both of the mirrors shone inside the bag. One bore a design of rosettes while the other was engraved with lilies. Kyoya shook his head. It was too easy. But he reasoned that most individuals believed that a single lock would protect all of their worldly belongings. He had simply expected that Yuko would be different.

"You found them!" Nekozawa exclaimed quietly as Kyoya pulled the mirrors from the bag. "But won't she be suspicious if we take them?"

"Not with a very convincing illusion replacing them," Kyoya said. He swirled a hand over the bag and with a dim flicker, two illusionary mirrors appeared in the bag. And with a few murmurs, the illusions solidified _just_ enough to fool anyone who would only pick the mirrors up for a moment or two.

"It won't last long, but if she does discover that they have been taken, she will inevitably also realize that her plan has failed. And what recourse will a thief take against another thief?" Kyoya said as he handed the rosette engraved mirror to Nekozawa and tucked the lily mirror into his pocket. He retrieved the spherical crystal from the bag and placed it in his pocket as well.

"In any case, we should probably get out of here," Nekozawa said.

"Agreed."

Yet just as they started for the door, a key clicked into the lock. Kyoya bit back the urge to curse as Nekozawa dove into the wardrobe with surprising speed and silence. The illusionist threw up one hand and encased himself in an invisibility spell.

Kyoya hated invisibility spells. Without a cloak or a similar physical focus available to spread the magic evenly, the spell felt like being suffocated by a heavy goose-down blanket that had been wrapped with iron chains. Fortunately, he had been placed under this spell a number of times so he had gradually become used to the claustrophobic sensation.

As the door opened, he carefully backed into a corner next to the writing desk and froze in place. Yuko stepped inside and cast a glance about the room. Apparently seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she went to the dresser. Kyoya held his breath. Now here was the true test of his illusion skills.

But Yuko didn't remove either of the mirrors from the bag. Instead, she pulled out a plain brown book bound with a tiny lock. Kyoya blinked. Perhaps he had been mistaken. Perhaps Yuko simply didn't consider the mirrors important enough to protect with more than one lock.

She pulled a chain from around her neck and Kyoya spotted a key hanging from the chain. He wondered what the contents of this book could be to warrant such security measures.

After unlocking the book, Yuko quickly paged through it. She settled on a page near the middle, skimmed it, then nodded. The book was shut, locked and returned to its place in the bag.

Something rustled in the wardrobe. Yuko's head snapped about and her posture instantly tensed. She started for the wardrobe.

"Yuuuukkkkooo!" Misuzu trilled as he threw the door to her room open.

"Misuzu!" Yuko exclaimed as she whirled about to face him. Kyoya stifled a laugh. With that kind of treatment, he understood why she kept the door locked.

"The door was unlocked," Misuzu said with an innocent smile. "Anyway, the king wants to see you."

"Now?" Yuko asked.

"As soon as possible!"

Yuko nodded and raised her head high. "Very well."

She exited the room and locked it behind her. Kyoya could hear Misuzu chiming in the distance: "He wants to see you in his chambers!"

As soon as the footsteps faded, Kyoya removed the invisibility spell and sucked in a breath of fresh air. Nekozawa burst from the wardrobe with a gasp.

"I got tangled up in my cloak," the dark duke explained when he saw Kyoya's unimpressed gaze.

Kyoya rolled his eyes and went back to the leather bag as he took out the crystal. He pulled the book from the bag and placed the spherical crystal against it. Locks might protect against the average snoop, but magic had quite unusual ways of extracting information. And this information could prove useful in the future.

Once the spell finished, Kyoya pocketed the crystal and headed to the door where Nekozawa was waiting. The duke opened the door and locked it back behind them. They were just about to walk away when someone called out:

"I hope you two found what you were looking for."

Kyoya and Nekozawa turned to face Misuzu, who simply grinned at both of them. "No need to look so surprised. I followed you up here. And I can only assume I saved you from discovery."

Nekozawa bowed his head in shame as Kyoya smiled. "You did, in fact."

Misuzu chuckled. "Well, ordinarily I wouldn't approve of people rummaging about in others' rooms. But, it _is_ Yuko, after all. So this time, I won't say anything."

Kyoya's smile widened. "Thank you, Misuzu. We both owe you."

"I'll remember that," Misuzu chirped. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to Ryoji before Yuko arrives with absolutely no explanation."

With that, the king's primary advisor flounced down the hall.

"That's a disaster avoided," Nekozawa muttered.

"Or at least a disaster of one sort," Kyoya said, his smile compressing to a thin line. But, if he had to be indebted to anyone in the castle, he would rather owe Misuzu. After all, advisors worked in mysterious and secret ways.

 _"For better or worse."_ he thought as he cast a gaze back at Yuko's door.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Tamaki pranced out onto the stage with a wide smile as the crowd cheered. But as he took his bows, he sighted one figure in the sea of faces.**_

 _ **The bespectacled individual's mouth hung open and his eyes were wide. Tamaki saw him mouthing the words: "Majesty?"**_

 _ **Tamaki's stomach flipped. In an instant, their carefully crafted identities were all at risk.**_

 _ **That was—until the bespectacled spectator disappeared as if someone had grabbed him.**_

Who has put the troupe's identities at risk? And what fate will they be left to? Check back next Monday (fingers crossed!) to find out!


	66. Chapter 66: New Arrivals

Hi everyone!

I hope you're all doing well! First, I'd like to wish everyone an early "happy new year!" Second, we're on to review responses!

 **Alice Kitten:** That's great! I hope you've enjoyed it! Thank you very much for the review!

 **Penstar1331:** You're not _too_ far off! Read on to find out the identity of our mysterious new character!

 **MagicQuill42:** Oh yes, there are much worse people to be indebted to. Like Yuko. Hopefully, Antoinette will make another appearance soon! Thank you for the patience on this chapter!

 **panda808:** I'm so happy you liked it! Yuko's journal is going to be revealed bit by bit, but I promise you'll see more of its contents soon!

 **swimmer1102:** Close! There's another character with glasses that looks very much like Kazukiyo. Read on and you'll see!

 **tmwillson3:** Yuko has plans aplenty-we'll definitely see more of her machinations soon. Nekozawa will hopefully have more frequent appearances in future chapters. I also love your idea with Ranka and Antoinette-I see that all too well!

 **lillyannp:** Well, I can say that _one_ of your questions will be answered in this chapter! The others...well, those answers will come sometime in the near future. I hope this chapter lives up to your anticipation!

 **DiamondSparkle42:** I'm so glad you're enjoying it. As for the Lobelia girls...they have an extremely important part to play in the future!

 **Queen of Sparkle:** Happy Holidays to you too! Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

So, to give everyone a chance to have fun with the upcoming special review celebration chapter, the reader question is going to stay the same for this update. **What questions would you like to see asked during the cast-interview?** I am pretty sure I'm going with the in-AU style as I think I have a specific place that I can put this chapter now. It will be isolated from any of the main action, but I think the placement may make it a bit more amusing. Send me any questions you'd like to see asked-the possibilities are endless!

The Reader Wishlist is going to be a slightly different twist than usual. This time, the topic is... **Alsance**! What would you like to know about the troupe's home country? Any landmarks or festivals you'd like to see? Or would a brief history lesson be in order? I'm happy to work in any and all of these tidbits over the course of the story, so please send in anything you'd like to know!

The next update is definitely going to be **next Monday.** I _may_ be able to return to the twice a week update schedule next week, but that is going to depend on whether I can get ahead of the update schedule or not. This chapter ended up being surprisingly long and the next few chapters may follow in its footsteps. But, I'll be able to tell everyone more on the next update. Also, a huge thank you to all of you with your patience in the last week!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which there are several new visitors to Ichio!

* * *

The days gradually began to warm in Ichio and the snow and ice completely melted away. Green shoots began to poke out of once barren soil and birdsong again became a daily background accompaniment to everyday life.

As soon as the sun rays started to strengthen with the first promises of spring, the troupe unveiled their plans for a grand new set of routines in the city. On the day of the announcement, they put on a show of short vignettes—teasing the audience with glimpses of what was to come.

In one such vignette, _Arlecchino_ received a ring from an unknown benefactor. The attached note promised that the ring would grant the wearer invisibility. With childish glee, _Arlecchino_ flourished this present in front of _Columbina_ , who dismissed such notions. As _Arlecchino_ waxed poetic about all the things he would do with the ring, _Columbina_ formed a scheme in a rare moment of prankishness. She challenged _Arlecchino_ to put on the ring. Once he did, she pretended to be unable to see or hear him. He removed the ring in delight, smugly proclaiming that _Columbina_ was too close-minded. _Columbina_ played along, declaring that she had obviously underestimated his "magic" ring. And the moment _Arlecchino_ stepped out of the house to perform a few errands for his _innamorata_ master, _Columbina_ rushed to convince _Pedrolino_ and her _innamorata_ master and mistress to join in on the trick.

When _Arlecchino_ returned to the house, he began carrying out all of the tasks he swore he would do while invisible. The others in the household dutifully ignored him—or at least did the best they could to ignore him as his antics became more and more foolish. When he lifted a water pitcher to dump over his _innamorata_ master's head, Kaoru, playing the _innamorata_ mistress, jumped with a cry as if the act had been performed by a ghost. This fake hysteria gradually led to the agreement that the house was haunted and would need to be vacated at once. Alarmed at such a strong response to his actions, _Arlecchino_ went to remove the ring. Yet it was stuck on his finger.

In the full-fledged act, _Arlecchino_ continued to attempt communication with the others with increasingly hilarious results. Finally, before _Arlecchino_ could do true damage to himself or the house, _Columbina_ dropped the act and removed the ring from _Arlecchino's_ hand with the aid of some oil. _Arlecchino_ insisted that she must have a developed a gift to see through the magic of the ring. Determined to convince _Arlecchino_ of his misapprehension, _Columbina_ put the ring on herself…only to disappear in a puff of smoke.

Though the troupe had practiced the entire routine, the preview left the audience with _Arlecchino_ in the midst of a panic about his stuck ring. The crowd applauded and demanded more, but the troupe stated they would have to wait until the premiere to see all of it.

Tamaki pranced out onto the stage with a wide smile as the crowd cheered after the final vignette. But as he took his bows, he sighted one figure in the sea of faces.

The bespectacled individual's mouth hung open and his eyes were wide. Tamaki saw him mouthing the word: " _Majesty?"_

Tamaki's stomach flipped. Suddenly, their carefully crafted identities were all at risk.

That was—until the bespectacled spectator disappeared as if someone had grabbed him.

Tamaki took one last bow before bounding backstage. He would only have a few moments to act while Haruhi took her bows.

"Hikaru! Kaoru!" He stopped right in front of the twins. "Make sure Haruhi stays away from the backstage area!"

The twins exchanged confused glances. "What—why?"

"Her identities—and _our_ identities—could be exposed! So I don't care how you do it, simply ensure that she stays out there!" Tamaki exclaimed as he jabbed a finger towards the stage.

Hikaru and Kaoru grinned and saluted. "Yessir!"

With that potential disaster averted, Tamaki hurried to the troupe's wagon.

The others had gathered there. Mori held the flailing bespectacled figure Tamaki had spied earlier under one arm. Honey stood beside a dark-haired young man who bore a surprising resemblance to Mori.

"Takashi! Let—me—down!" The young man under Mori's arm cried. "You know I'm supposed to fight Mitsukuni!"

"Not now," Mori replied.

But as Honey let out a sigh and shook his head, the young man next to him spotted Tamaki. His eyes rounded.

He snatched the other young man out from under Mori's arm and hurled him to the ground. "Chika! Bow!"

"Satoshi—what the—?" Chika began to protest, but froze as soon as he saw Tamaki. His companion flung himself to his knees and both offered groveling bows.

"Your Majesty!" They chorused.

Tamaki sighed and covered his eyes with one hand. "I wish you two wouldn't insist on such formalities. A standing bow would be more than sufficient."

"But Majesty—we have to show our loyalty!" Satoshi cried.

Tamaki waved a hand. "It's unnecessary here. My crown lies with my father after all."

Satoshi and Chika exchanged uncertain glances, but rose from their positions.

"What are you two doing here in Ichio, anyway?" Honey asked.

"We're on a brief leave from the Royal Guard," Chika explained. "A legendary sword-smith is said to have travelled here recently. This is the closest he will come to Alsance, so it is our only chance to examine his blades."

"And we're also escorting someone!" Satoshi chimed in.

Tamaki exchanged a concerned glance with Kyoya. "And who would that be?" Tamaki asked.

Almost in response to the troupe leader's words, a young woman dressed in silks of the darkest midnight blue strode around the corner. Honey sighted her and his eyes lit. A slow smile came to the young woman's lips.

"Reiko!" Honey cried. He launched himself into her arms, nearly upsetting the basket of herbs and other materials she held on one arm.

Tamaki let out a relieved sigh. "Thank goodness. That will be one less explanation necessary."

"Reiko, what made you come to Ichio?" Kyoya asked as Honey and Reiko broke their gleeful embrace.

"I needed a few materials that are difficult to find in Alsance. Besides, when Honey told me about what happened with the mirror, I felt it was necessary to accompany these two. I have a few enchantments to add that should protect the mirror from any…interference," Reiko replied.

"Plus, we sorta needed her help to get through the border enchantment," Satoshi added with a sheepish grin.

The twins then traipsed back to the wagon. "Everything is taken care of, milord!"

"Good—where is Haru—" Tamaki hesitated, glancing back to Chika and Satoshi. "—Haruki?"

"With Mei. We explained everything after talking to Haruki's fan club for a while," Kaoru reported.

"Oh, and remind us to talk to you later. We have an idea for an act we want to do," Hikaru said.

"Very well," Tamaki said.

"Majesty," Chika started. "What is all this business about an acting troupe? We thought you had come to Ichio in search of a bride."

Tamaki looked to Kyoya, who shrugged and said, "They're here now. What can it hurt for them to know?"

Tamaki nodded, then leveled his gaze on the new arrivals. "Have a seat. This explanation could take quite some time."

#

When Tamaki, occasionally supported by comments from Honey, Kyoya and Kaoru, finished the tale of the troupe's time in Ichio, Satoshi and Chika stared blankly.

"But…if you do intend to court Ichio's princess, then what's taken so long?" Chika asked.

Tamaki tried not to cringe as the twins restrained snickers.

"Yeah, milord, what _is_ taking so long?" Kaoru asked.

"It's fine, Chika. Milord obviously enjoys taking his sweet time with matters of the heart," Hikaru added.

" _Hikaru_ ," Kyoya warned.

"You can't talk to His Majesty like that!" Satoshi exclaimed at the same time, jumping to his feet.

But Tamaki smiled slightly and gestured for him to sit. "Peace, Satoshi. I'm afraid you'll find that some of our courtly manners have lapsed over the months. Rest assured I take no offense from the words of anyone in this circle."

Satoshi frowned, but took his seat as asked.

"The truth is that these things take time," Tamaki said. "They don't go the way that fairy tales and stories do. The white knight doesn't simply rescue the princess from a tower and marry her after they've known each other for a less than a week. Ladies aren't swept off their feet that easily."

"The ladies in Alsance could have fooled me," Chika muttered. "They certainly seemed happy for you to sweep them off their feet."

This time, Reiko saved Tamaki from a reply. "Not this one. She's different. And if she is supposed to be Alsance's next queen, then she is worth taking all the time necessary to win her. Remember that His Majesty has already squandered more time than this in sorting through other ladies unworthy of the crown."

At that, Satoshi and Chika offered nods. Hikaru and Kaoru looked a bit abashed as a slow smirk rose to Kyoya's lips. Apparently, the illusionist and the sorceress had been thinking along the same lines.

"Well…do you know when you'll return home, Majesty?" Satoshi asked.

"I'm afraid we won't know that for some time," Tamaki said.

Both Chika and Satoshi exchanged a concerned glance.

Their monarch didn't miss it. "Why are you both so concerned? Are things not going well? Surely with my father acting as regent, little has changed from the way I ruled," Tamaki said.

"It hasn't. For the common folk, I'm not even sure they've noticed a thing. The courtiers are the ones noticing the changes," Satoshi said.

"Oh dear—my father and my grandmother aren't quarreling again, are they?"

"No. It's not that either. His Majesty the King Regent and Her Majesty Queen Shizue actually gotten along fairly well with Her Majesty the Queen Mother as an arbitrator…" Yet still, Satoshi trailed off.

Tamaki frowned. "Then what is wrong?"

All this time, Chika seemed to be holding something back. Finally, he burst out with: "Majesty, it's like you've _died!"_

Tamaki swallowed as a great weight suddenly sank in his stomach. "What do you mean?"

Satoshi picked up this train of thought. "Everyone misses you so much that it's almost like they're in mourning. Claudette bursts into tears every time she passes your portrait and Jeanine can't bring herself to clean the throne room alone. I've even seen Shima staring into your empty chambers."

"And that's simply the toll it's taking on the staff. The court hasn't had a glad moment since you left. Her Majesty Queen Shizue seems unsettled too," Chika continued.

Tamaki's frown deepened. "What of my parents?"

"His Majesty the King Regent and Her Majesty the Queen Mother both seem worried. But His Majesty has assured us that he trusts your judgment absolutely and understands that you will do what is necessary for the sake of Alsance," Satoshi said.

At that, a slight smile twitched at Tamaki's lips. At least his father still believed in him.

"However, the concerns of the court in Alsance are secondary to your business here," Reiko stated. "The court can rejoice once Alsance has a queen."

"Thank you, Reiko," Tamaki replied. Perhaps he had let his duty to his court lapse a bit. He needed to think this over. But he couldn't simply sit here and think. He cast a glance around at the props and stage. "Well, I suppose we still need to get all of this cleaned up."

"Right," Mori said as he rose.

"Where are all of you staying?" Kyoya asked as they began to break down the set.

"At an inn," Chika said.

In an instant, Honey sidled over to Tamaki and looked up with imploring eyes. "Could Reiko stay with us at the castle?"

"I see no reason why not," Tamaki said.

Honey leapt into the air. "Yay! Reiko! Great news!" With that, he scampered over to Reiko.

"Satoshi, Chika would you like to stay—" Tamaki started.

"No, but thank you, Majesty," Satoshi said. "We'd be worried about being underfoot. Plus I think we would have difficulty in adjusting to seeing you all in your…new roles."

"A wise choice," Kyoya noted.

Gradually, the set was broken down and the props put away. Honey and Mori went with Satoshi, Chika and Reiko to fetch Reiko's luggage. Hikaru and Kaoru left to run errands tasked to them by Mei and Renge. This left the troupe's leader and the illusionist alone on the return trip to the castle.

"Are you in need of advice?" Kyoya asked halfway through the journey.

Tamaki glanced over at him, shaken out of his contemplation. "What?"

"You seem to be deep in thought and concerned."

"That's true."

Kyoya didn't say anything else. He never did. As always, he simply waited.

"Have I lapsed that severely in my duty as king?" Tamaki asked finally.

"I don't think so. While I will admit that things are taking longer than I would have liked, I side with Reiko. If our goal is accomplished by taking things slowly, then so be it."

"But what if it _isn't_ accomplished? Does that make me a bad king?"

"It doesn't. But I wouldn't dwell on such thoughts. You've always managed once you've truly applied yourself to a task," Kyoya said.

"Then you think I haven't applied myself well enough?" Tamaki asked.

Kyoya shrugged. "I would say that I was willing to prompt you to action very soon if things continued as they have."

Tamaki chuckled a bit. "Fair enough. Perhaps I have been a bit too cautious. But if that's the case, then what further steps do I need to take?"

"That is a matter that I cannot advise you on. You would need to consult someone with more experience in that arena."

Tamaki deflated in an instant. "Fantastic. Where on earth am I going to find someone like that?"

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Reiko nodded. "Ah, yes. I think I understand."**_

 _ **As they sat in silence for a moment, Tamaki's mind milled over everything that happened within the last few days. Unexpectedly, a realization struck him. "Reiko…I have a question that I hope isn't considered prying."**_

 _ **"Go ahead. I will try to answer the best I can."**_

 _ **Tamaki looked directly at her. "How did you and Honey fall in love?"**_

 _ **At that, Reiko smiled.**_

What could possibly come of this little exchange? Could it be...a flashback? Check back next Monday to find out!


	67. Chapter 67: Curses and Charms

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **Queen Rainbow:** As I've said before, you don't have to apologize! I totally understand busy schedules. Simply review when you can-I'm always happy to see it no matter when it is!

 **panda808:** I'm so glad you're excited! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you've anticipated it!

 **Alice Kitten:** Aw, thank you! I'm so happy to see so much enthusiasm!

So, this reader question is going to be the **last call** for questions for the in-AU cast interview! **What questions would you like to see asked during the cast-interview?** Remember, anything and everything is fair game!

I'm also keeping the Reader Wishlist topic the same due to the oddness in the update schedule. The topic this update is **Alsance** **!** What would you like to know about the troupe's home country? I'm happy to try to answer any request (I _love_ world building. Really love it.) so please send them in!

Well, I am not ahead of the update schedule as planned. But, I am going to try to put the next update **on this Thursday.** We'll see how returning to this schedule goes, so keep your fingers crossed!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a certain sorceress has a discussion with a young king.

* * *

Reiko settled in easily to life with the troupe at the castle. While she generally kept to herself during the troupe's visiting hours with the court, word soon spread of her magical abilities—specifically those involving potions. It wasn't long before the court ladies began inquiring about all manner of these concoctions. Reiko obliged their requests for love potions and beauty brews—all for a quite modest fee, of course.

But most of the sorceress's free time was spent with Honey. One day, the troupe took to the sunny southern courtyard where Honey and Reiko immediately took a seat on one of the stone benches and quickly fell into some deep discussion.

Across the courtyard, Tamaki watched the couple, frowning to himself. It seemed as if every time he saw the two together, some odd emotion welled up in his chest. He couldn't place the feeling either. Surely it wasn't envy. He was hardly the type to become jealous. But there was a certain wistfulness there. Perhaps it was longing for a similar companionship. Reiko and Honey seemed at such absolute ease with each other. Tamaki wasn't sure if he had ever had that. Of course he trusted his advisors and considered them his closest friends. But he was still their king. And with his family, the business of running the kingdom always had to come first.

Tamaki produced a white rose with a twist of his hands. He considered the red-tipped petals carefully. Had the red color edged further down the petals in recent days?

He gazed up to the windows leading to the princess's chambers. They hadn't had much time together in the past few days—what with Tamaki trying to conceal her identity from two of his courtiers while also trying to conceal those same courtiers from her lest they unintentionally let a secret spill. But at least that had given him time to think.

Even if it hadn't led to much so far.

When Tamaki looked back at the scene in the courtyard, the stone bench Honey and Reiko had been sitting on was empty.

"That's quite an interesting spell," someone commented from behind him.

Tamaki tried not to jump as he turned to Reiko. "Kyoya taught me how to do it."

"Impressive. What did he link the spell to? Surely there was an emotion or personality trait he used as an anchor," Reiko said as she took a seat next to him.

"He never told me," Tamaki said. "He just said that he used something that he knew would be inexhaustible for me."

Reiko nodded. "Ah, yes. I think I understand."

As they sat in silence for a moment, Tamaki's mind milled over everything that happened within the last few days. Unexpectedly, a realization struck him. "Reiko…I have a question that I hope isn't considered prying."

"Go ahead. I will try to answer the best I can."

Tamaki looked directly at her. "How did you and Honey fall in love?"

At that, Reiko smiled.

#

Honey Haninozuka, Head Instructor for the Royal Guard of Alsance, strode through the corridors of the castle at Lysiens. He bobbed out into the nearest courtyard and smiled at the sunny day. He had spent the morning indoors, running the Royal Guard through their usual drills. He was supposed to have lunch with Mori in just a bit, but the weather was far too nice to be stuck inside all day.

As he passed through the courtyard, he noticed a group of young boys playing some sort of game that involved kicking a leather ball about. He also spotted a young woman in a charcoal grey dress crossing the courtyard as well.

Usually, neither observation would have held his attention for long. But one of the boys kicked the ball with a hard _smack._ It whizzed through the air, heading right for the young woman in grey.

"Look out!" Honey cried. He leapt for the girl, tackling her. They fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs just as the ball sailed over them.

"Are you okay?" Honey asked as he scrambled up. The young woman simply stared at him, her dark eyes wide.

Honey offered a smile. "I'm sorry I had to do that. I didn't know what else would keep you from getting hit."

Still, the young woman didn't respond.

Honey realized that a hard flat object was sitting under his knee. He retrieved the book.

"Did you drop this?" he began. But then, the title of the book caught his attention.

 _The Alchemy of Dark Magicks_

He swallowed, trying not to freeze in place. Instead, he put on a polite smile and returned the book to its owner.

Her lips barely moved as she whispered, "Thank you."

"Of course. Let me help you up," He said as he rose. The moment their hands brushed, he nearly recoiled at how cold her fingers were. But, in proper fashion, he helped her to her feet.

The young woman stared at him.

Unable to bear the uncanny silence any longer, he said, "Um, have a nice day!"

And with that, he continued on his way, hoping that he didn't look like he was hurrying. The entire time, he felt someone's gaze on him.

For days after the incident, Honey _knew_ someone was following him. He cast constant gazes over his shoulder and jumped at the slightest of noises. Yet no matter how he searched, he couldn't identify the culprit. He knew it was silly for the Head Instructor of the Royal Guard to be frightened at his own shadow; but when a potential enemy hid itself from sight this well it was bound to make even the most experienced guardsman anxious.

"Mitsukuni, are you all right?" Mori asked after the fourth day of this restlessness.

Honey pushed the remaining bit of cake on his plate around with his fork. "I…um…I feel like someone has been following me."

"Ah. That must be the girl."

Honey's mouth fell open. "You mean you've seen someone following me?"

Mori nodded. "I came upon a girl dressed all in grey in one of the castle corridors. She was watching you from around the corner."

Honey took an anxious bite of his cake. "Was she…was she just watching?"

"She was muttering something under her breath. Like a chant."

At that, Honey choked on his cake.

It took a good three minutes of spluttering and coughing before Honey could explain his encounter with the strange young woman in the courtyard. Mori listened with a slight frown. "You think she's trying to curse you?"

"I don't know. I've felt really nervous since I met her," Honey confessed.

"From being watched?" Mori asked.

Honey shrugged. "I guess?"

"Has anything bad happened to you?"

"No…"

"Then maybe it's not a curse."

A moment later, the twins traipsed into the room. "Hey, Honey, what's with the girl outside muttering that she's going to steal your soul?"

Honey felt the blood drain from his face as he stared at Mori.

The Head Instructor couldn't get the idea of a curse out of his head. For weeks, he slept with an enchanted lantern from Kyoya by his bed. He checked and rechecked the protective guards on all of the practice weapons used in the drills for the Royal Guard. And if he had the misfortune of spotting the young woman in grey, he averted his eyes and walked the opposite way.

All this paranoia took its toll on his fighting technique. It didn't escape the notice of the members of the Royal Guard and particularly irked the younger brother of the Head Instructor.

Fed up with what he deemed "incompetence," Chika challenged Honey to a duel. Some said that Chika intended to take the position of Head Instructor from his brother. In any case, Honey was unable to refuse such a challenge.

They met in the grassy field outside the castle at noon the next day. A small crowd, including an uneasy Tamaki and his closest advisors, had already gathered when Mori and Honey arrived.

"Honey, I understand it's a matter of honor, but is this really necessary? You're fighting your own brother," Tamaki said.

Honey smiled, though it didn't quite reach his dark-circled eyes. "We're being careful, Majesty. Don't worry."

The young king's brow remained furrowed, but he nodded and took a place beside Kyoya.

As Honey went to his end of the makeshift dueling strip, he tried to tune out the rest of the world. It was successful for only a moment. For a few seconds later, he spotted the young woman in grey in the crowd.

A cold sweat claimed him in an instant. Chika had agreed they would begin with swords, so he removed his blade from its ceremonial case with a shaking hand. Mori noted this.

"Have courage."

Honey took a deep breath and nodded. He strode down the strip to face his brother.

Their match began predictably enough. Honey was far too used to Chika's aggressive fencing style for it to faze him. He parried and returned blows as needed. Both wore leather armor impenetrable to the delicate rapiers, so this part of the duel was more for show than sport.

Still, Honey stole glances at the woman in grey. Her lips moved soundlessly as the pair dueled.

Finally, with a hard flick, Honey disarmed Chika. In a sportsman-like gesture, Honey tossed aside his own blade and prepared for hand to hand combat.

Though he attacked with a flurry of punches, Honey could tell that Chika was tiring. He hardly ever lasted much past the first half of the duel.

However, an abrupt kick forced Honey to spring into the air. As he did, the sun glinted off a bit of metal in Chika's hand.

Throwing knives.

Honey calculated as he fell through the air before his landing. He would hardly have enough time to avoid the knives. Even if one of the knives only caught a sleeve, the duel would be considered over and Chika declared the victor. But…

Honey landed and turned in a sharp pirouette a second later. The first knife whizzed past him. He sprang to one side to avoid the second as the crowd gasped.

The third and final knife hurtled straight for him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Honey saw the young woman in grey clasp her hands, her lips moving even faster.

Honey leaned back and allowed gravity to pull him down. There was only the slightest chance that this maneuver would work, but he had to try.

The final knife zipped right over him, creating a breeze that ruffled his bangs.

When he stood, the crowd cheered in amazement. But again, the young woman in grey caught his attention. This time, she was smiling, her hands balled into excited fists as if she had just performed some great task and triumphed.

Honey blinked. Could it be that the young woman was in fact on his side?

He had little time to ponder this question as Chika sank to his knees at the other end of the field. The younger brother held up his hands.

"I concede!" he called.

Another gleeful roar rose up from the crowd and they all rushed to congratulate the victor. In the sea of people, Honey spotted the woman in grey trailing away from the crowd. He gave his thanks to his well-wishers before hurrying after her.

"Wait!" At his cry, the young woman paused. Her eyes widened as he rushed up.

"I have to know—" Honey began. "Who did you want to win the duel?"

The young woman's head tilted to one side. "Why, you, of course."

"Then…what were you saying during the duel?" Honey asked.

"It was a protective charm," the young woman explained in a quiet monotone. "I am a sorceress of dark and wild magicks. But, even I know spells to protect someone from the bite of a blade."

A slow smile spread across Honey's face as the pieces began to fall into place. "And when Chika threw the knives?"

The young woman seemed to puff with pride. "I bespelled the wind around the knife so that it would miss you."

Honey tried not to laugh. All this time, he had assumed the young woman had been attempting to curse him. But she had been trying to help him. Whether or not such help was real might be up for debate. Perhaps he needed to find out her true motives. "Well, thank you! I don't know if I could have won the duel without your help. And I don't even know your name to thank you properly!"

"Reiko Kanazuki," the young woman replied.

"That's a very pretty name. I'm Mitsukuni Haninozuka, but everyone calls me Honey. Do you like cake, Reiko?"

And so the Head Instructor of the Royal Guard charmed the Sorceress of Alsance in an instant.

#

Tamaki listened to the dark sorceress's story intently, his head perched on one hand as she finished the tale.

"I suppose I started to fall in love with him in that moment," Reiko said. "And it is hard to constrain a matter of the heart to one act. But Honey was the first in Alsance to show me true kindness without judgement. Whether he knew it or not, he went to great lengths to demonstrate how much he cared for me and those closest to him. He is the reason I wear more than grey and black nowadays."

Tamaki looked to her curiously. "What did he do?"

Again, that fond smile returned to Reiko's face. "When I confessed that I was uncomfortable wearing bright colors, he said that he thought midnight blue would 'look pretty with my eyes.' And when we went into the marketplace next time, he took me to the seamstress. Picked out the fabric himself and paid for the dress, despite my protests."

"So you fell in love with him simply because he cared for you and his friends?" Tamaki asked, his brow beginning to furrow again.

Reiko sighed. "It was many things, but that is part of it, yes."

Tamaki nodded, his shoulders slumping. "Ah. I should have expected that the answer would be complicated."

Reiko rose. "Take heart, Majesty. For though love takes many forms, it always finds a way in the face of adversity."

Tamaki nearly jumped out of his skin when Reiko placed a hand on his shoulder. When he glanced up at her, she smiled encouragingly. "Simply be yourself with the princess. The rest will be taken care of if it is meant to be."

At that, Tamaki smiled. "Thank you, Reiko."

"Milord! Hey milord!"

Reiko withdrew her hand and stepped away from the young king as Hikaru and Kaoru danced into the courtyard.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, what do you need?" Tamaki asked.

"We forgot to tell you about the act we're going to do," Kaoru said.

"Yeah, we promised Haruki's fans that we would do an act with just _Columbina_ and the _innammorata_ ," Hikaru declared.

Tamaki stared at the pair. "What?"

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Kyoya, those gentlemen have been hanging about since long before the performance. Do you think they have business with us?" Tamaki asked.**_

 _ **Kyoya frowned. "Perhaps. Shall I bring them to you?"**_

 _ **"If you would."**_

 _ **A moment later, Tamaki found himself facing the three young men.**_

 _ **"I can only assume that you gentlemen have some business with my troupe," Tamaki said. "May I ask what we can do for you?"**_

 _ **The middle figure, a rather haggard young man with slightly scratched spectacles, burst out, "Please, sir! We need your help!"**_

 _ **Tamaki exchanged a bewildered glance with Kyoya and said, "We will do our best. What do you need?"**_

 _ **"We are the only members of The Daily Herald," the young man continued. "We want to interview Le Triomphe de la Comedie!"**_

What on earth could such an interview unearth? And will our troupe illusionist even allow it? Check back this Thursday to find out!


	68. Chapter 68: A Request for the Troupe

Hi everyone,

I hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first as usual!

 **tmwillson3:** Ah yes, some realizations may slowly be working their way through Tamaki's very thick skull. And I'm so glad you enjoyed Reiko and Honey's chapter! As for the newspaper...you'll see soon!

 **MagicQuill42:** I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed it! I'm hoping to continue including Reiko as the plot continues.

 **swimmer1102:** I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the chapters! And that's great that you're starting to write your own fic-it sounds like you're very dedicated too! I will be rooting for you-good luck!

 **Queen Rainbow:** Thank you! As for Tamaki...you'll see!

 **panda808:** Oh, our oblivious king can't be too prone to bouts of introspection. But I promise there is more to come!

 **lillyannp:** Good! It's always great to hear that readers have had such an empathetic reaction to a character's emotions. Don't apologize for breaks in reviews! As I said before, I understand being busy. And thank you very much for your patience with me with the schedule changes over the last week!

 **Alice Kitten:** Thank you for your patience and enthusiasm!

 **Hana Chouchou:** Oh, thank you for the reminder-that part of the rules completely slipped my mind. Hopefully that will be the last instance of lone author's notes necessary. Glad you're still enjoying the story and it's great to hear from you again!

So, the reader question is going to be a fairly current matter as it concerns the fate of the Daily Herald-AKA the AU version of Ouran's Newspaper Club. **What would you like to see as the group's ultimate fate?** By canon standards, the trio would simply disappear and not be heard from again. But, I get the sense that some readers might want to see a bit more closure with this group. So, what are your opinions? I'd love to hear from everyone!

The Reader Wishlist is also up for a change. This post, the topic is... **Ichio!** Again, I absolutely love world-building, so this is always a fun topic to play with. We've already gotten a bit of a history lesson about Ichio, but is there anything else you guys would like to see? This can be anything from mythology to a more detailed exploration of the streets of Shikanai. Please send in your thoughts!

For those of you that weren't able to read the author's note posted last week, I have decided to stick with posting once a week rather than the twice a week schedule. I think this will be much more doable in regards to my schedule and will keep the chapter quality and length where it needs to be. So, the next update will be **next Monday!** Huge thank yous to everyone for your patience as I've worked with shifting the schedule.

Now-onto the next chapter-in which a request is made of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie!_

* * *

"Look at them! I can't believe them! Just look at those… _fools_!"

Tamaki fumed as he watched the twins practice on the troupe's stage with Haruhi.

Beside him, Kyoya smirked. "I thought you preferred to use the term 'jesters.'"

Tamaki crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "They're flaunting! Haven't they rehearsed enough for today? And they didn't even consult anyone else before instituting this little act!"

"I didn't think you ruled with an iron fist," Kyoya commented. "And besides, why should this bother you?"

Tamaki stiffened and raised a finger as if to reply, but couldn't form a proper response. Kyoya chuckled under his breath.

"If it _does_ bother you," the illusionist added, "it will all be over soon. That is, unless the audience happens to like it and wants repeat performances. Or even continuations of the act."

Tamaki flinched as if he had been struck. Kyoya simply returned to his note-taking, a smirk still at his lips.

In this new act, the twins played a married _innamorata_ couple in the midst of an argument. After going back and forth and failing to resolve the issue, the couple called in their maid, _Columbina_. Upon the maid's entrance, the couple declared that _Columbina_ would be the one to decide the argument. The maid protested, but her employers insisted.

The master and mistress explained that the argument concerned the nature of one's destiny. The master asserted that one's fate was predetermined and that any "choices" made in a lifetime were illusory. The mistress contended that while one had a destination of ultimate fulfillment, the choices made during a lifetime could shorten or lengthen the path to that place.

 _Columbina_ listened, then said that she would need time to consider such a philosophical debate.

The rest of the act devolved into a competition as the _innamorati_ attempted to win _Columbina's_ favor. A single rose soon turned into profusions of bouquets. New dresses began arriving in droves with towering stacks of hats. The _innamorati_ showered _Columbina_ with jewels of all kinds. The maid's room soon became packed with these absurd presents until every surface was covered. Yet still, _Columbina_ claimed that she could not settle the argument.

But after nearly two weeks of this contest, _Columbina_ was fed up with her master and mistress attempting to buy her allegiance. She stormed into the parlor of her master and mistress and proclaimed that she was resigning. With a suitcase in hand, she stomped out of the house. Yet as she left, she stated: "You're _both_ wrong! There's no such thing as destiny!"

This left the lovers staring at each other blankly. But a moment later, they sprang to their feet and sprinted after their maid, begging her not to leave them.

As the twins and Haruhi continued to practice, Tamaki sought something to distract himself. While glancing around, he spotted a trio of young men meandering about in the square. He watched them for a brief moment before shrugging and begrudgingly returning his attention to the rehearsal for the act.

Yet even after the successful performance of the act and the bows of the performers later that day, the trio of young men remained in the square, hovering near the troupe's stage. Even as the troupe began to break down the set, the young men stayed. Finally, Tamaki motioned Kyoya over.

"Kyoya, those gentlemen have been hanging about since long before the performance. Do you think they have business with us?" Tamaki asked.

Kyoya frowned. "Perhaps. Shall I bring them to you?"

"If you would."

A moment later, Tamaki found himself facing the three young men.

"I can only assume that you gentlemen have some business with my troupe," Tamaki said. "May I ask what we can do for you?"

The middle figure, a rather haggard young man with slightly scratched spectacles, burst out, "Please, sir! We need your help!"

Tamaki exchanged a bewildered glance with Kyoya and said, "We will do our best. What do you need?"

"We are the only members of The Daily Herald," the young man continued. "We want to interview _Le Triomphe de la Comedie!"_

#

"And why exactly do you wish to interview us? What advantage does it give you?" Kyoya leveled his gaze on the leader of the Daily Herald, Akira Komatsuzawa, and scrutinized him carefully.

The troupe sat about the wagon with the trio from the Daily Herald. The members had just finished relating a tale of woe regarding their dwindling newspaper circulation and looming possibility of the death of "one of Ichio's oldest journalistic institutions."

Akira smiled and folded his hands. "You see, we need something to boost our numbers. A story about Shikanai's most popular performers would easily attract interest."

"Yeah, but why is the paper in trouble in the first place?" Kaoru asked.

"It sounds like the paper was doing well at some point. So what happened?" Hikaru continued.

Akira exchanged a nervous glance with his partners, Ukyo Chicago and Sakyo Tomochika. "Well, er…we might have been a bit too eager with a few of our stories," Akira replied.

"Our facts hadn't been checked thoroughly enough," Ukyo added.

"So you printed lies?" Kaoru and Hikaru chorused.

The newspapermen winced. "I suppose if you want to put it bluntly," Sakyo said.

"But that absolutely wouldn't be the case with this issue! We will uphold the highest standards of journalism," Akira interjected hurriedly. "We beg you for understanding—you are truly our last hope!"

At this, Tamaki leaned forward, a glint in his eyes and a grin at his lips. "Well, in that case, we gladly—"

"We must refuse your invitation," Kyoya replied before Tamaki could go any further.

The troupe's leader jumped to his feet. "What do you mean we refuse? Kyoya, can't you see these gentlemen are in trouble? It would be wrong to refuse them aid!"

Kyoya went on as if he hadn't heard Tamaki. "I deeply regret hearing of your situation and sincerely hope that you will find a way to continue on. However, the troupe is quite busy with preparing our new season. Between developing our material, rehearsals and performances, I'm afraid you'll find that we simply don't have time to spare for a proper interview."

"But you _make_ time if it matters!" Tamaki protested.

"Our most profound apologies," Kyoya declared with a finality that firmly concluded the discussion.

The members of the Daily Herald hung their heads. "Of course. We understand. Thank you very much for your time," Akira said as he rose.

And with that, the newspapermen trudged away from the wagon and disappeared into a narrow lane nearby.

Tamaki rounded on Kyoya, his eyes blazing. "Kyoya, that was cold-hearted and unfair! We could have helped them!"

"You're too quick to trust," Kyoya replied.

Tamaki then turned to the rest of the troupe. "And why didn't any of you step in? Are you just as hard-hearted?"

"They sound like they ruin reputations," Hikaru said.

"People are quick to believe rumors too. We wouldn't want the troupe's name tarnished," Honey said.

"And anyway, aren't you forgetting about Haruhi?" Kaoru asked, jerking a thumb to the disguised princess who had listened to the entire discussion without commenting. "Do you really want those guys sniffing around? Her identity might be discovered."

Tamaki's face fell. He looked to Haruhi imploringly. "Haruhi, you haven't said anything. Do you think it would be such a terrible idea?"

Haruhi shrugged with a frown. "Everyone else has a point. I'm not sure that the Daily Herald is the most scrupulous paper out there. And since I am in disguise…It just sounds like a recipe for trouble."

A dark cloud passed over Tamaki's face. His shoulders slumped. "I see. In that case, I suppose I must acquiesce to the demands of my troupe. I'm sure you all know best."

But as the troupe returned their attention to breaking down the set, Tamaki seemed to drag about as he worked.

Kyoya noted this and muttered, "This newspaper may cause more trouble than I originally anticipated."

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"What's with him?" Hikaru said. "He's been like that for days!"**_

 _ **Haruhi considered Tamaki's isolated position with a frown. It did seem as if a cloud of sorrow had descended on the troupe's ever-optimistic "king."**_

 _ **"That story about the Daily Herald must have really gotten to him," Kaoru continued.**_

 _ **"True," Haruhi said, her head tilting to one side. "Do you think we can fix it?"**_

How on earth will the troupe bring their leader back to normal? Check back next Monday to find out!


	69. Chapter 69: The Fate of The Daily Herald

Hi everyone,

Hope you've all been doing well. Review responses are up first.

 **lillyannp:** Oh yes, I think the green-eyed monster is starting to dig its claws into Tamaki. And thank you for the suggestion-I will keep that in mind!

 **Penstar1331:** Of course-this would be an out of canon story if I didn't include some sort of tension with the twins! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **Miss Chantelle:** Thank you!I'm so glad you're still enjoying the story! And please don't apologize-I'm simply glad to see reviews when they come in. It's great to hear from you again!

 **1fallenangel7:** I'm so glad you've enjoyed the story so far! It's always wonderful to hear from happy new reviewers. If all goes as planned, the updates should continue on a weekly basis. Thank you for the review!

 **Alice Kitten:** Knowing Tamaki, your warnings will go unheeded. Read on and enjoy!

So, I have been debating over the direction to take the chapter after next (next week's update will be discussed below!) and would like to get some reader opinions. Two potential orders are available for the arcs I have planned. One arc will use elements from "The Refreshing Battle in Karuizawa" along with a good few Kasanoda/Mei moments while the other arc will lean heavily towards Tamaki and Haruhi spending time together and see the return of some old enemies. Both arcs will be used eventually, but **which arc would you like to see first?** I'd love to hear your opinions, so send them in!

For the sake of giving everyone time to chime in on a topic, I'm leaving the Reader Wishlist topic the same for this update. Thus, the topic is **Ichio!** Anything is open for inclusion, so feel free to send in your thoughts!

The next update will be the special interview chapter in celebration of reaching 250 reviews! This upcoming update will be a full on silly romp that is completely removed from any involvement with the main plot action. Everything that happens in this chapter, stays in this chapter. But as usual, the update will be on **next Monday!**

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a certain paper becomes entangled with the troupe!

* * *

The cloud that had settled over the troupe's leader after the encounter with the members of _The Daily Herald_ only seemed to darken rather than lift as the days passed. Tamaki took to sitting alone for long periods and his usual liveliness seemed dampened during his visits with the court ladies. While the troupe tried to ignore this, the court soon began to inquire after Tamaki. The probing questions could barely be answered and they could hardly be ignored.

On a day that the southern courtyard saw few visitors, Haruhi met with the rest of the troupe. In typical fashion, Tamaki sat in a corner by himself. As he stared off into the distance, he produced a rose between his hands before making it disappear again. Haruhi, Kyoya and the twins observed him with unimpressed gazes.

"What's with him?" Hikaru said. "He's been like that for days!"

Haruhi considered Tamaki's isolated position with a frown. A cloud of sorrow had indeed descended on the troupe's ever-optimistic "king."

"That story about _the Daily Herald_ must have really gotten to him," Kaoru continued.

"True," Haruhi said, her head tilting to one side. "Do you think we can fix it?"

"Let the matter drop. It will be better for everyone. Tamaki is simply sulking," Kyoya said.

Haruhi glanced up curiously at the illusionist. "You make it sound like he's throwing a tantrum."

"He is," Kyoya declared with the certainty of someone speaking from experience. "I won't let the rest of you fall for these tactics."

"But milord is used to getting what he wants. Surely a fit of sulking won't be the only strategy up his sleeve," Kaoru said.

"It's not," Kyoya said.

On cue, Tamaki turned and fixed the troupe with a piteous gaze.

"Uh…Kyoya…what is that look?" Haruhi asked as Tamaki returned his attention to the rose in his palms. She didn't know why, but a sudden guilt had descended on her.

Kyoya groaned. "He hasn't done that in years. How low is he going to sink?"

Tamaki glanced up again with the same forlorn expression.

"So those are…" Kaoru began.

"The puppy dog eyes," Hikaru finished.

"Yep," Kyoya said, his lips pressing together into a thin line.

After a third glance, Haruhi said, "Is anyone else feeling guilty?"

"Incredibly," the twins chorused.

Tamaki looked down again and Kyoya shook his head. "Tamaki, that's enough! You're not going to guilt the rest of us into going along with this ridiculous idea. Right?"

But the illusionist found himself alone abruptly as the twins and Haruhi had already started over to Tamaki. Kyoya slapped a palm to his forehead.

"Fine—you win! But there will very strict conditions applied to any interaction with the newspaper," he stated.

In an instant, Tamaki brightened back to his usual brilliance. He barreled across the courtyard and tackled Kyoya in a hug.

"Thank you! I knew you would come around!" Tamaki cried.

Kyoya pushed him away. "Don't thank me. Any negative consequences will be on your head."

Tamaki grinned. "I'll accept that risk! I promise you won't regret it!"

"I already do," the illusionist replied.

#

"Is this seriously what they do between performances?" Akira stared in blank disbelief at the scene in front of him.

For the past half hour, _Le Triomphe de la Comédie_ had scampered about near their wagon in a series of actions that looked like…athletic exercises.

"We have to ensure that we're in peak physical condition," Tamaki explained as he jogged past."Especially when there are acrobatics to take into consideration with our acts."

The three members of _The Daily Herald_ nodded.

"All we've done is watch them run around—where's the real dirt?" Akira muttered under his breath.

Sakyo and Ukyo shrugged helplessly at each other.

"Alright men! That's enough for today! Change into costume and we'll work on developing our next act," Tamaki declared.

The actors separated to change. Akira's interested perked when he saw that Haruki Fujimoto disappeared into the wagon to change. He began to note this in his journal…

"That's a tragic story," two voices chorused on either side of him, interrupting his note-taking. Akira gasped and his quill jerked, throwing a blob of ink over his words. He tried not to grind his teeth as he looked to the twins.

"Really? What's so tragic about it?" Akira asked.

"Haruki was once apprenticed to a cruel blacksmith. When he dissatisfied the master, he was branded as a form of punishment. Now, even though he escaped the blacksmith long ago, he is still ashamed of his scars," Kaoru explained.

"Poor kid can't bear to change in front of anyone else. It's really such a shame," Hikaru finished.

Akira frowned, the quill in his hand pausing as he considered this story.

"What, aren't you going to write it down?" Kaoru demanded.

"Yeah, do you want new readers or do you want the paper to die?" Hikaru asked.

"New readers of course!" Akira exclaimed as he hurried to write down the story. Satisfied, the twins traipsed off to change.

"Why Akira—" Another blob of ink spurted from the quill as Akira jumped again at the voice behind him. The head of _The Daily Herald_ turned to face the troupe's illusionist. Kyoya smiled. "I hope your note-taking is going well."

"It is," Akira replied with a smile to hide his annoyance.

Kyoya continued, "You've caught us on a bit of an odd day. Typically our schedules call only for rehearsals and performances. But as we're still developing new acts, we're in a bit of a limbo state. I'm sure this will still be plenty of material for your paper to cover."

"Absolutely," Sakyo, Ukyo and Akira chorused.

"Is there a reason why you're using that old quill? The enchanted one I gave you should never run out of ink—or blot onto the paper," Kyoya said with a nod towards Akira's notes.

Akira uncomfortably considered the enchanted quill Sakyo had been holding for him. "I'm afraid I'm terribly superstitious. Can't start a new story with a new quill. I've always felt that quills needed to be used until every last word had been wrung out of them."

Kyoya's pleasant smile didn't change. "Ah, of course. I'm sure Sakyo will have the other quill ready when you've used up that one."

As the illusionist walked away, Ukyo muttered, "He's terrifying! What is it about him?"

"I don't know, but I won't have him interfere with our plans," Akira declared.

The troupe members gradually returned to the wagon in their full costumes. Haruki, dressed in a black and white diamond patterned dress for the role as _Columbina,_ emerged from the wagon. Seeing a potential chance for a brief impromptu interview, the members of _The_ _Daily Herald_ began to sidle over. But Tamaki waltzed over to Haruki before they could reach the actor.

"Ah1 Haruki! I see you've chosen _Columbina's_ black and white dress. I suppose this means you wish to act as an independent character rather than part of the staff of the _innamorati_?" the troupe's leader asked.

Haruki shrugged. "I guess so. It has been a while since I've had a part like that."

"Excellent!" Tamaki cried. "I'm sure we'll figure out a role for you—"

"Tama! Did you want to see our routine for the duel?" Honey called from across the backstage area.

"Yes, of course!" And with that, the troupe leader smiled at Haruki before crossing over to the actors playing _Pedrolino_ and _Il Capitano_.

The newspapermen jumped at this chance. They slithered up to Haruki before anyone else had a chance to intervene.

"Well, Haruki, I hear that you're the newest member of the troupe," Akira said.

Haruki nodded. "I am. The troupe took me on a few months ago."

"And this was after you escaped the cruel master you had been apprenticed to?" Ukyo chimed in.

Haruki's face went blank for a moment. "Uh…yeah…It was."

"Tell me a bit more about how the troupe works," Akira continued, ignoring the brief hesitation.

"There's a lot to tell. What do you want to know?"

"Does your troupe leader rule with an iron fist? Is he a tyrant?" Akira asked.

At that, Haruki laughed. "No, not at all. He generally lets the troupe members do as they please."

Akira tried not to let his face fall. "So you wouldn't say that he's…hiding anything?"

"No. Not at all. Tamaki has to be one of the most transparent people I know," Haruki said.

Akira nodded. "I see. That's excellent to know. I always like to inquire on such matters before writing an article that casts a group in a highly positive light. After all, if we laud a group that turns out to be…improper, it reflects poorly on us."

"Well, you won't find anything of that nature here," Haruki said.

"Very good." Akira caught the illusionist staring at their group with an odd expression. He decided that wrapping things up would be best. "That's all we needed for now. We wish you the best of luck with your performance."

Yet no sooner had Akira uttered those words, Haruki's gaze seemed to be caught by a simple gold ring consisting of three fused bands. The actor glanced from the ring to Akira.

"Um, yeah, of course—thanks!"

With that, Haruki hurried off to gather with the other performers.

#

The afternoon after _The Daily Herald's_ observations, Kyoya sat alone in the Great Hall, peering into a spherical crystal. He reread the pages contained in the crystal again with a frown.

"'Find ADH.' Yuko, what kind of plot is that?" Kyoya muttered. For the illusionist was reading the content's of Yuko's journal for a third time. He had found this enigmatic line under a phrase marked 'Mirrors.' Fortunately, the spell Kyoya had used on the crystal would relay any new information or changes made in the journal to the copy contained in the crystal. The word 'Mirrors' had since been crossed out. Kyoya could only assume that this new phrase related to another plan to remove the troupe from the castle. But the identity of ADH troubled him.

He pondered over this acronym while paging through the rest of the journal. It didn't seem like any useful additions had been made as of yet. But, the style of Yuko's notes was cryptic. ADH might refer to someone's initials, a place or even an object.

The door to the Great Hall opened and Haruhi hurried in.

"Kyoya, we have to break off any contact with the newspaper," She stated.

Kyoya glanced up. "What was that?"

"Akira and his men at _The Daily Herald_ —I think they're planning to do something to the troupe." Haruhi held up a hand to showcase a ring with three bands. "Nekozawa gave this to me as a protective charm. It glows when someone lies to me about their intent. Akira wished me well today and the ring glowed."

For a moment, this information processed in Kyoya's mind. Then, he sprang from his seat. "I am an idiot!"

Haruhi stared at him in surprise as he pocketed the crystal, a grim smile at his lips. "Thank you, Haruhi. You've helped immensely. The rest of the troupe and I will handle this matter with _The Daily Herald_. I would include you, but considering your disguised identity…"

"It's probably best to have as little contact with them as possible," Haruhi finished.

"Exactly. And if you wouldn't mind—don't mention this to Tamaki. I would rather beg forgiveness than ask permission on this matter."

"Right."

Kyoya whirled about and strode out of the Great Hall.

Of course it had all been too convenient. Because it had been a plot.

ADH referred to Akira of _The Daily Herald_.

#

Dust motes floated through the dilapidated rooms that made up the headquarters of _The Daily Herald_. The sole members of "one of Shikanai's oldest journalistic institutions" stood around a rickety table.

"Akira, if we can't get any closer to the acting troupe, then how are we ever going to take them down?" Ukyo asked.

"We're just going to have to find a way," Akira muttered as he looked over the papers in front of him.

"That won't be necessary." A voice cut in.

The newspapermen whirled about as Kyoya, Hikaru, Kaoru, Honey and Mori walked out of the storage room that contained copies of molding newspapers.

"Wha—what are you doing here?" Akira demanded.

"We're here to finish a business deal," Hikaru said.

"Or rather, break one," Kaoru amended.

"What do you mean?" Sakyo echoed.

"I'll put things bluntly—your paper intended to slander _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_. We will not tolerate such scheming," Kyoya said.

"You have no proof," Akira growled.

Kyoya sauntered past a desk and picked up the enchanted quill he had given Akira. "I think you'll find that this quill has kept a very careful record of everything you've said over the past couple of days. All I have to do is ask for it to write it out."

Akira stared. "You—you—"

"You're hardly in a position to name-call. And I doubt that you'd wish to have all of us set against you," Kyoya said.

Akira's eyes narrowed. "What are you going to do then?"

A smile that could only be described as infuriating came to Kyoya's lips. "Nothing."

"What?" the other troupe members joined in with this stunned chorus.

Kyoya cast a gaze around the room. "The paper seems poised to crumple under its own weight shortly. I see no reason to interfere with that process."

He glanced over the upper rim of his glasses at Akira. "And you already know that we want nothing more to do with any of you. But should I see anything in this paper with even a whisper of negativity about the troupe, I will be back. And I will not be nearly as lenient."

Akira swallowed as his companions paled.

Kyoya nodded cheerfully to all three. "And with that, I bid you good day."

The troupe members filed out of the building, leaving the newspaper staff to shiver in a cold sweat.

* * *

And next week's special looks a bit like...this!

 _ **Akira straightened his glasses with a sharp smile. "Yes, now, Tamaki—there are rumors that you're royalty."**_

 _ **Tamaki chuckled. "Oh, those are simply overzealous fans! You see, they call me 'king' of this acting troupe!"**_

 _ **"Then you deny any connection to the royal family of Alsance?"**_

 _ **At that, Tamaki paled.**_

Again, remember that this special is absolutely outside the current plot line. Only done for fun. But, there will be some quite interesting times ahead in the meantime! Check back next Monday for the update!


	70. SPECIAL: If Akira Had Had His Way

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **MagicQuill42:** So glad to hear that you enjoyed it! I promise that any details about Ichio will be slipped in-no shoehorning necessary! Thank you for your responses too-they've been noted!

 **lillyannp:** Well, the troupe's identity might not _quite_ be in the danger that you think. You'll see as you read on-I hope you enjoy it!

 **Adelaide's Anagram:** Kyoya always seems to have tricks up his sleeve. But, I do feel like he suffers from just a touch of Imposter Syndrome. I love your ideas for festivals in Ichio! I've also noted your arc order preference-thanks for the input!

 **iamover13:** Thank you! I hope you enjoy the rest of the story-thank you for the review!

 **tmwillson3:** The _Herald_ may be back to cause problems. And if so, rest assured that there will likely be some form of public humiliation. As for Yuko, her tactics may be up for a bit of a switch. And thanks for your vote on the arc!

The reader question is going to remain the same for this update. In regards to the next arc, **what would you rather see first-a "Refreshing Battle in Karuizawa" type arc or an arc involving Tamaki and Haruhi and the potential return of old enemies?** More details can be found in Chapter 69 so check there too!

The Reader Wishlist is also going to stay the same for one more update. In this case, the topic is **Ichio!** I'd love to know what you guys want to see, so send in your thoughts!

The next update will be **next Monday** as usual!

Now, as promised-a silly romp with _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ and _The Daily Herald!_

* * *

Akira sat in the empty offices of T _he_ _Daily Herald_ hours after the troupe had left. He had dismissed Sakyo and Ukyo shortly after the incident. After all, he needed time alone to regroup. But instead of figuring out what on earth he would tell the king's secondary advisor, Yuko, he found himself daydreaming. Daydreaming of how things would have gone if the interview with the troupe hadn't fallen apart.

#

"Right this way, gentlemen," Akira declared as he opened the door to a ramshackle building in one of Ichio's backstreets.

Tamaki breezed in the door of _The Daily Herald's_ headquarters, ignoring the dust and earthy scent of moldy papers that filled the air. "So this is the headquarters of _The Daily Herald_! I can practically feel the history of this fine institution surrounding us!"

"You can certainly smell it," Hikaru muttered as he stepped into the room.

"Yes—we do apologize for the smell," Akira said as the rest of the troupe crowded into the room. "We had a leak in our roof above where we store old copies of our papers. Clearing out the wet or molded copies has taken a bit of time."

At that, Tamaki rounded on Hikaru with a sharp stare. Hikaru merely shrugged in response. The troupe leader sighed, unable to see reality beyond the bright picture his constant optimism painted.

"Why are we even here?" Kaoru asked as he observed the surroundings with an expression of distaste. "We could have easily done this backstage or at the wagon."

"There might be curious onlookers about," Ukyo said.

"We wouldn't want someone overhearing us," Sakyo added.

Akira took a seat in one of the chairs that had been gathered in a circle in the center of the room. "Absolutely. Our building isn't much, but it does provide privacy. Please, have a seat."

Tamaki instantly draped himself over a battered upholstered chair. He watched as the rest of the troupe sat in the offered chairs with varying levels of discomfort. Hikaru and Kaoru seemed most repelled by the dirt while Haruhi seemed far more concerned with the sturdiness of the spindly-legged wooden stool she had taken. Mori and Honey took spots on either side of Akira without complaint. Kyoya merely leaned against the nearest wall.

"We have a chair available," Akira noted.

"Thank you, I'll stand," Kyoya replied.

Tamaki thought he saw a disgruntled expression flash across Akira's face. But the newspaperman seemed to shake it in a second.

Akira took up a pad of paper and quill. "Well, gentlemen, I suppose we should get started. First, just a few basic questions. When did this troupe begin?"

"A couple of years ago," Kyoya answered.

"We got our start in small towns in Alsance," Hikaru continued.

"Ah, that must be why we have heard so little of you until recent times," Akira said. "And who started the troupe?"

Tamaki smiled brightly as the rest of the troupe looked pointedly to him. "That would be me."

"Surely the idea came from somewhere. What inspired you?" Sakyo asked.

"I lived in a small seaside town as a boy. Performing troupes visited regularly. My favorites simply happened to be the _commedia dell'arte_ troupes. I think the pageantry attracted me," Tamaki said.

"That's actually an excellent point—what would the rest of you say is your favorite part of _commedia dell'arte_?" Akira asked.

"The physical comedy," the twins chorused.

"The varied roles!" Honey exclaimed.

"The masks," Mori offered.

"The brevity of the acts," Kyoya replied with a slight smile.

After a moment of thought, Haruhi said, "The intricacies of the plots."

Akira nodded. "My, it sounds like we have quite the intellectuals in this group. That's quite rare for a band of wandering thespians."

"You'll find that all of our troupe members have been very well educated," Tamaki said. The next disguised truth came to him easily. "Most of us are from families that are fairly well-off."

"Then perhaps we could hear a personal story of your upbringing, Tamaki?" Akira's quill paused, poised for a new note.

"Gladly!" Tamaki chirped before Kyoya could intervene. "You see, I'm the son of a trading merchant. My father owns fleets of ships that travel all over the world."

"Sounds like a large business," Ukyo noted. "Surely your father would need you to take over or help with such an enterprise."

"He did pass it to me for some time," Tamaki replied. "But he returned to the helm of the business to allow me to a few years to travel the world and pursue my passions."

"So he passed the crown to you and you returned it?" Akira inquired.

Tamaki put on a blithely ignorant grin. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Akira straightened his glasses with a sharp smile. "You missed the crown reference? Quite a surprise. After all, there are rumors that you're royalty."

Tamaki chuckled. "Oh, those are simply overzealous fans! You see, they call me 'king' of this acting troupe!"

"Then you deny any connection to the royal family of Alsance?"

At that, Tamaki paled. He saw Haruhi's head tilt curiously to one side.

Kyoya rescued him. "Of course he does. What kind of fantastical idea is that?"

Tamaki was about to breathe a sigh of relief when the illusionist added, "Really, can you _imagine_ him ruling a kingdom?"

The troupe leader's face fell into a frown as the other troupe members bit back laughter.

"Oh man, that would be _utterly ridiculous_ ," Hikaru managed through restrained chuckles.

"Yeah, I think he has a hard enough time with the troupe," Kaoru said.

"I don't think I'd manage as poorly as you all seem to think." Tamaki tried not to clench his teeth as he spoke.

"Maybe not if you had some very good advisors," Honey said.

"They'd have to be geniuses!" Hikaru exclaimed.

Suddenly, Haruhi cut in, "I think you guys are selling him short."

Tamaki's eyes rounded as he looked to her. He held his breath, mind racing over what she might be about to say.

"Tamaki's very fair and he tries to listen to everyone. On top of that, he's genuine and truly has everyone's best interest at heart. Those are all important traits for a monarch," she declared. "I think he'd rule well."

Tamaki resisted the urge to jump up and dance about the room. Instead, he settled for allowing a few quick taps of his feet on the floor and a smug grin that might have outdone even Kyoya's smirk for complacency. "Thank you, Haruki. I appreciate your faith in my abilities."

Akira's eyes narrowed as he scratched away at the notepad in his hand. "Chalk it up to wild rumor then."

"Kyoya, I believe we might have a matter you wish to clear up," Sakyo said.

Kyoya pushed his glasses up with a single finger. "Go ahead."

"Some have stated that your magical abilities extend beyond simple illusions. Perhaps into…healing?" Sakyo asked.

Tamaki didn't turn to see Kyoya's reaction. But he waited for the response.

"Absolutely false." The words were edged.

Fortunately, it seemed enough to keep the newspaper from digging into the half-truth.

"As for other rumors, it's said that both Mitzukuni and Takashi are fairly accomplished swordsmen," Ukyo said.

"That's true," Honey volunteered. "We were taught when we were little. Now, we just use it to help with realism of duels in our acts."

The three newspapermen cast anxious glances at each other. "That's very interesting."

Akira looked to the twins. "I'm afraid we've heard very little about you two in the rumor mill."

"Of course—we'd expect that. We're open books!" Hikaru and Kaoru exclaimed.

The others in the troupe rolled their eyes.

"Well, Haruki, we've hardly heard from you," Ukyo commented. "Surely you have things you'd like to add."

Haruhi shrugged. "I mean, if you have specific questions, I'm happy to answer them."

"Tell us about your upbringing," Akira said as he leaned back in his chair.

"My parents passed away when I was little," Haruhi began automatically. "I've been shuffled between masters in need of an apprentice. Nothing ever really stuck. So, I've been pretty happy that the troupe decided to take me on."

"Yes. Interesting story. However, I'm afraid it conflicts with what we've heard," Akira said.

The troupe members shifted in their seats, ever so slightly. All eyes were on Haruhi.

"What story have you heard?" Haruhi asked.

"We heard that you're the child of a rather strict nobleman. One that doesn't allow you to go out into the city," Akira stated.

"Oh, you know how rumors can be—" Haruhi began.

"And we've also heard that the child of this nobleman is not a son…but a daughter."

Haruhi's eyes widened as the others jumped into to protest.

"That's crazy!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"What kind of paper are you, listening to those kinds of rumors?" Kaoru shouted.

"Yeah, they're rumors! Haruki is telling the truth," Honey continued.

Akira's quill snapped in half. "That's enough!"

The others paused. Honey and Mori's expressions instantly turned wary.

"What kind of idiots do you take us for?" Akira asked. "I know that the nobleman story isn't the truth. Because the truth is…"

Akira rose from his chair. He then jabbed a finger at Haruhi. "The truth is that Haruki Fujimoto is none other than Haruhi Fujioka, princess of Ichio!"

The troupe members went silent. A slightly crazed grin rose to Akira's lips.

"So I am right!"

"You have no proof," Kyoya said. "Only rumors."

"I'll find proof! It can't be that difficult!" The head of the _Daily Herald_ cried. He rounded on Tamaki. "Besides, I already have proof that you're the true king of Alsance!"

Tamaki stiffened. "What do you think you have?"

"You have to be the king! After all, who other than a king would be able to get away with kissing the princess?" Akira's voice rose to a sharp screech.

Tamaki felt the blood drain from his face. He risked a glance at Haruhi, who was just as pale as he was as he stammered, "Um—uh—"

As Akira's grin widened, the twins burst out into a furious clamor.

"You _kissed_?" Hikaru howled.

"When was that?" Kaoru demanded.

Haruhi and Tamaki tried to offer explanations, but were drowned out. And this was only the beginning of the swell of utter chaos. Akira merely laughed above it all.

#

"Akira! Akira!"

Akira gasped and clutched the hand shaking his shoulder. He glanced about wildly until he spotted Sakyo.

"What—what happened?" Akira asked.

"You were dreaming, sir," Sakyo offered. "Ukyo and I just returned and found you asleep."

Akira blew out a breath. "What a strange dream. I've obviously been sifting through rumors for far too long."

He drummed his fingers on the desk as he re-ran the dream. Finally, he shook his head. "Can't imagine where my mind got any of that from."

* * *

So, this special could have ended in a number of ways. Just to make sure that everyone realizes that this update is totally outside of and isolated from the main plot action, I thought I would include a few:

 **ALTERNATE ENDINGS**

In the first case, the twins' ire over Tamaki kissing Haruhi is so great that it eclipses any of Haruhi's questions about Tamaki being the king of Alsance. The twins then demand that it's only fair that the princess kiss _all_ of the troupe members, without really understanding _why_ they're making such demands (because let's be honest, they're not at that point in their character arcs.) Haruhi staunchly refuses and storms back to the castle, leaving her relationship with the troupe in a state of a permanent awkward silence.

In the second case, Haruhi is angry enough that she ignores the protests of the twins and demands to know if Tamaki is the king of Alsance. This then splits into two options.

Option A: Tamaki is remarkably quick on his feet and immediately waxes poetic about how he apparently bore an unfortunate resemblance to the prince and had thus been imprisoned in an iron mask for most of his youth. This devolves into a wild tale of his escape from the mask and the guards watching over him (which seem to magically multiply at each mention of their number.) He confesses that the traveling troupe was simply a device to escape the wrath of Alsance's royal family. This explanation is also filled with tears as a troupe member should be able to cry on demand without any help from artificial sources. Haruhi walks off halfway through this explanation, too annoyed to speak.

Option B: Tamaki is dumbfounded by the question and can't give an adequate cover story. Haruhi continues to push the point until Tamaki is forced to admit his true identity. After a bit of silent staring, the entire AU dissolves into oblivion (because _no one_ is at a point in their character arcs that they could _possibly_ be ready for this confession). They are then either saved by a case of _deus ex machina_ or Haruhi awakes to discover that the whole thing was simply a dream she had as an exhausted second-year student at Ouran Academy.

* * *

Well, I hope everyone enjoyed this special! Next update puts us back with the _real_ plot!

 ** _The staff clattering about in the kitchen stopped abruptly and stared. They started into curtsies and bows, but Misuzu fluttered his hands._**

 ** _"No, no, no! None of that formality. In fact, for the day, none of you have seen the princess," he said with a wink._**

 ** _The staff looked to each other, slow grins rising to their faces. "Yessir!"_**

What could have the staff in such a state? Check back next Monday to find out!


	71. Chapter 70: Down to the Kitchens

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first as usual!

 **MagicQuill42:** Absolutely! One misstep and everything can unravel. Hopefully, the special showed this in a fun way!

 **FanLovesFics16:** Thank you for your vote-it's been noted! And thank you for the review!

 **Guest:** I'm so glad you've enjoyed the story! It's always great to hear that readers feel that things adhere to canon well too. Constructive critiques are always welcome and I am always open to any reader suggestions. I always like to hear readers' thoughts as they help guide me to make choices in areas that I don't necessarily have a strong opinion on (such as with the arc choice.) I may not necessarily be able to work all suggestions in, but they'll often spark ideas that I can use as well. I definitely see your point about the tension. That's something I'm hoping to ramp up soon, but gently (similarly to the manga's method) so I don't jar readers too much. I would love to hear your thoughts in the future and thank you for the review!

 **Alice Kitten:** Very happy to hear that you enjoyed it!

 **tmwillson3:** Yuko does tend to get around a good bit. As for what was real in Akira's dream...you'll see eventually!

 **BlondeGunnerWithATrenchCoat:** Goodness! Better than the original material? Thank you so much-that's a huge compliment! I'm very happy that you enjoyed it and thank you for the review!

 **Guest:** Of course-because everything that happened in the dream was _utterly_ outside the realm of possibility. Glad you enjoyed the special and I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much! Thank you for the review!

 **iamover13:** So glad you're still enjoying it! Looking forward to hearing from you on future chapters!

 **panda808:** Great! It's always awesome to know that you guys enjoyed something that's a bit more experimental/out of the norm. And thank you for the vote-it's been noted!

 **Penstar1331:** Ah yes, Misuzu is always _very_ sneaky! Read on and you'll find out what the primary advisor has up his sleeve!

So, the reader question this update is actually **very ** important as it will affect the **next update**. For reasons that I won't mention here (you'll see as you read!), our twins need to pull a few pranks. Unfortunately, I seem to be drawing a blank as to what tricks would be best. Thus, **what pranks would you like to see the twins pull?** I'm open to all suggestions so please send them in!

Before we get to the Reader Wishlist, I'd like to thank everyone that voted for the arc choice. However, as I started looking at things, I did realize that it made more sense to start with the Battle in Karuizawa arc. I know that a number of you voted to see more of Haruhi and Tamaki and I promise that will happen soon! If there's anything specific you'd like to see included there, let me know and I will try to work it in as a thank you for your patience!

The Reader Wishlist is up for a change on this update. This is another important area as it will affect the next arc. Here, it's **elements of the original "Refreshing Battle in Karuizawa" arc!** What things occurred in the original episode or manga that you would _love_ to see my take on? Anything that's an absolute necessity? Send in your thoughts!

Unfortunately, I do have a slight change to the current schedule. The next update will be **Monday after next**. I really hate skipping a week-especially since everyone has commented on appreciating the consistency in updating-but my reason is actually two-fold. First, I have just started a new project that will need a lot of attention to get started, but the necessary concentration should only take a brief time (and those of you who are Writeblrs on Tumblr might find it of interest.) Second, I feel like the break will give me time to refocus, review the original material and pull together another more detailed plot outline to guide things for future arcs. Again, my apologies for the change, but I would rather deliver things on schedule than over-promise and under-deliver.

Now, onto the next chapter-in which certain parties sneak into the kitchens of the castle at Shikanai!

* * *

On another fine spring day, the troupe held afternoon tea for the court in the Spy's Courtyard. While the troupe entertained groups that consisted mostly of the court ladies, Haruhi and Mei took up a quiet place in the corner of the courtyard. As the lady-in-waiting worked on embroidering a rather intricate design, the princess continued reading the translation of the book Tamaki had given her.

By the time tea was almost at an end, Haruhi had nearly finished the book. When Tamaki strode over and saw this, he beamed.

"So, have you enjoyed the book so far?" he asked.

"I have. It has so many interesting legends. But I am a little puzzled over a few of the…" Haruhi paged back through the manuscript. "The Poet's Prophecies?"

Tamaki nodded. "Ah, yes. Those were particularly tricky to translate. I could very well have some of them wrong."

"There was one that talked about—" Haruhi started.

But she was cut off by Honey's cheerful chirp as the blonde danced over. "Princess Haruhi! Reiko just reminded me to ask you—have you gotten the chance to use your apron yet?"

Haruhi tried not to wince. "Well, I haven't yet—I've been too busy working with all of you!"

"Aw, okay. I understand! Let me know when you get to use it!" With that, Honey trotted back to his guests.

Tamaki looked to Haruhi curiously. "You haven't used his present? That strikes me as very unlike you, Highness. Is something the matter?"

"Well, uh…" Haruhi trailed off.

"Yeah, that's pretty unusual. You solved our puzzle after only a couple of days," the twins added as they sidled over to the group.

Mei stared at Haruhi over the rim of her china teacup. "You haven't told them about being banned from the kitchens?"

"What?" Tamaki and the twins chorused.

Haruhi reddened. "Er…yeah…it's true. But I couldn't tell Honey that."

"Why are you banned?" Hikaru asked.

"Because of Yuko," Mei cut in before Haruhi could answer. "She thinks it's 'unladylike.' So she banned Haruhi from going down there."

Kaoru seemed to think for a moment. "Why don't you just go down there in disguise?"

"I can't disguise myself as a boy or someone might figure things out about…you know," Haruhi said.

The troupe members nodded.

"Good point there," Mei said.

"And if I disguise myself as a girl, the staff will surely recognize me unless I use Kyoya's cloak. And this doesn't seem like an emergency," Haruhi said.

"But does it matter if they recognize you? Surely the staff would be happy to have you down in the kitchens if it's something you enjoy," Tamaki said.

"He's right," Mei said. "Really the only person to be concerned about would be Yuko."

"And we can handle that," Kaoru stated with a grin. He clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Right Hikaru?"

"We can definitely keep Yuko away from the kitchens," Hikaru declared with a similar devilish grin. "We promise she won't catch you."

Haruhi's lips pursed as she considered this. "Well, it would be nice to cook some…"

"Then let's do it," Mei said. "It won't take much preparation, so we could easily slip you in tomorrow. Dad will be in the kitchens then too, so I'm sure he'd be happy to have you there."

"In that case, we need to get started on our part," the twins exclaimed. They saluted to Tamaki. "Milord, permission to depart?"

Tamaki chuckled and waved a hand. "Go ahead. I'm sure we can keep your guests happy."

With this blessing, Hikaru and Kaoru marched out of the courtyard. As she watched them go, Haruhi couldn't help but feel a brief twinge of pity for the king's secondary advisor.

#

The next day, Haruhi donned a simple cotton dress loaned to her by Mei. Yet when she walked out into her living quarters, she found Mei dressed in a similar manner with her hair pinned simply and her face unpainted.

"I thought I would come with you today," Mei explained. "I can be an extra look-out and help cover things up if something goes wrong."

"And…?" Haruhi gestured vaguely to her own face.

Mei huffed. "The kitchens are hot! Any makeup will melt or sweat off so it's easier not to wear it."

Haruhi shrugged as she picked up the apron Honey had given her. "Makes sense."

"Now come on. We need to get down there early before there's too many people about."

The princess and her lady-in-waiting successfully snuck from the princess's chambers and down to the kitchens. Once there, Haruhi breathed in the heavenly scent of baking bread and roasting meats and smiled. It was good to be back.

Misuzu greeted them outside the door to one of the kitchens. He grinned widely. "It's wonderful to have both of you back! Come, come! We have plenty to do today!"

He ushered the girls into the kitchen. As soon as he did, the staff clattering about inside stopped abruptly and stared. They started into curtsies and bows, but Misuzu fluttered his hands.

"No, no, no! None of that formality. In fact, for the day, none of you have seen the princess," he said with a wink.

The staff looked to each other, slow grins rising to their faces. "Yessir!"

Misuzu turned to Haruhi. "Well, I hope you're ready."

Haruhi tied on her apron and nodded. "Absolutely!"

"And Mei…" Misuzu looked uncertainly at his daughter. It was well known that Mei hadn't inherited her father's culinary talent.

Mei sighed. "Don't worry, Dad. I'll stay out of the way."

The princess in disguise and the king's primary advisor dove into their work with glee.

"Alright Haruhi, I'll start you with the cake first!" Misuzu exclaimed. "Then we'll move to the stew."

As the staff began rushing about the kitchen again, Mei took up a spot on a nearby stool to watch. But she soon grew bored of simply observing. She tried to entertain herself. This lasted for approximately five minutes. Then, she gave up completely and wandered out into the hall where she paced back and forth. She began playing a game in which she attempted not to step on the cracks between the tiles on the floor.

That is, until she abruptly slammed into someone walking the opposite way.

A green-bound book flapped to the floor and landed with the pages crumpled and the spine bent back. Mei immediately knelt.

"Sorry! I didn't see you there," she said as she scooped the book up. She stood and began to offer the book back to its owner. "Here—"

She broke off as she looked up into Kasanoda's surprised gaze.

"Oh! Um—Cassanova!" she exclaimed, turning aside to hide her unpainted face. "I…didn't think I'd see you here."

"I'm…I'm surprised to see you too," Kasanoda offered.

Mei bent her head to look at the book in her hand. "Here's…here's your book."

"Thanks."

Mei desperately wished that she had left her hair down today instead of pinned back. At least she could have used it to hide her face. Still refusing to raise her head, she said, "That looks like a quite interesting book."

"It…it is."

An awkward silence descended upon them both. Mei finally tried to risk a glance up at Kasanoda when he burst out, "You don't have to hide your face like that. You're beautiful—with or without your makeup."

Her head snapped up. "What?"

Kasanoda abruptly reddened. "I'm sorry—I didn't mean to overstep! I—it—just forget what I said!"

"I'm not angry," Mei replied instantly. "But…did you mean it?"

Kasanoda swallowed and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. "Um…well…yeah. I always mean what I say."

Mei felt a blush creeping up her cheeks that eventually covered her entire face.

The two were left gaping at each other in mutual red-faced embarrassment until a quiet request interrupted them.

"Um, excuse me?"

Relieved to have a distraction, they turned to face a dark-haired young man who had apparently just walked down the stairs. Mei squinted at him. He looked terribly familiar.

"I hope I'm not interrupting something," the young man said.

"No-no-you're not," Kasanoda said, waving his hands.

"I'm looking for Misuzu? One of the footmen told me I would find him down here," the young man explained.

"He's in the kitchen," Mei replied, automatically jerking a thumb toward the kitchen door down the hall. "Just ask for him."

"Thank you very much."

The young man started for the kitchens as Mei peered after him.

"What is it?" Kasanoda asked.

"He looks so…familiar," Mei muttered. She frowned before walking down the hall and stopping in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Ah, yes! I'm Misuzu!" The king's primary advisor bustled over to the young man who had just requested him. "I would shake your hand, but I'm afraid you'd end up covered with flour."

But something over Misuzu's shoulder seemed to have caught the young man's attention. Mei followed his gaze until she realized he was staring at Haruhi.

"Haruhi?" the young man asked.

The princess glanced up sharply, then her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

" _Arai?"_

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 ** _"Did you see her face? That was perfect!" Hikaru exclaimed as the troupe started down the stairs leading to the kitchens._**

 ** _"I wish Haruhi could have seen it," Kaoru said._**

 ** _They reached the kitchens, but stopped short._**

 ** _Haruhi sat laughing with a dark-haired young man._**

 ** _"Who is he?" Tamaki and the twins asked simultaneously._**

What pranks could the twins have set for their victim? Remember to send in your thoughts here as your ideas could show up in subsequent chapters! See you **Monday after next!**


	72. Chapter 71: Pranks and a New Visitor

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Thank you so much for your patience with the repeated changes in the schedule. As usual, review responses are up first!

 **MagicQuill42:** Fantastic, then you should have plenty of enjoyment to come over this arc!

 **Penstar1331:** I hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **Archaeologist** : Ah yes! Excellent suggestions! I promise that most of your points should be incorporated fairly soon (and some much sooner than others). Also-I wasn't quite sure what your reference to mirrors meant, but I would love to hear more in case I can incorporate it in later chapters. Thank you for your responses!

 **lillyannp:** I'm so glad you enjoyed it-I hope this chapter is just as interesting!

 **AliceKitten:** Thank you very much!

 **QueenRainbow:** Thank you! It's great to hear from you again!

 **Hana Chouchou:** I think you must have the wrong URL. My username on Tumblr is the same as it is here and my blog is called "There's a Story in This." I only post my original works or other writing-related posts. Like this site, I have no control over the ads shown on Tumblr nor do I have control over content posted by others. However, I assure you that my blog is well within T-rating standards. I'd really appreciate it if you would edit your review to reflect correct information.

 **JustJolola** : I am so glad to hear you're enjoying the story! And thank you for such a high compliment! I hope you continue to enjoy the fic and look forward to hearing your thoughts on the rest. Thank you very much for the reviews!

So, the reader question this update is in regards to certain aspects of the general Karuizawa arc, including "Operation Haruhi and Hikaru's First Date." I'd like to know **what kind of moments would you like to see between Haruhi and Hikaru?** As the "First Date" arc was _heavily_ dependent on technology, I've realized that I may need to make some alterations to certain elements. Before I make these alterations, I would love to hear readers' thoughts so send them in!

The Reader Wishlist on this update is slightly similar to the last update's topic. This update, the topic is... **elements of the original "Operation Haruhi and Hikaru's First Date" arc!** Are any points a major necessity? Anything you would rather see left out? Send in your thoughts!

The next update will be **next Monday!** Hopefully, I will be able to return to a consistent schedule now that I'm finally feeling better.

Now, onto the next chapter-in which the twins play pranks to prevent certain individuals from visiting the kitchens!

* * *

While Haruhi worked away with Misuzu, the twins launched into their campaign to divert Yuko from the kitchens for the day.

This morning of pranks had started early in Yuko's room. With a bit of help from Misuzu the night before, Hikaru had slipped into Yuko's room and replaced the secondary advisor's hair powder with itching powder while swapping her face powder for sneezing powder. The twins had then stationed themselves just down the hall from the room in question the following morning. When a cacophony of sneezes sounded, the twins set off to prepare their next snare with glee.

The secondary advisor emerged from her room much later than usual, her face bare rather than powdered, then strode purposefully to the first floor, scratching her head occasionally. A carefully concealed tripwire stretched across one hall set the unwitting advisor stumbling. The hall's runner had been carefully bunched so the stumble soon turned into a full sprawl. Around the corner, the twins bit back their laughter as Yuko picked herself up and cast a bewildered glance around.

The advisor went about her daily tasks, the occasional scratching becoming more persistent. Still more misfortune befell her. As she took to writing letters, she found that all of her ink disappeared the moment it touched the page. But when she held up her quill, a blot of black ink spurted from the quill and onto her dress. She let out an exclamation of dismay and started to her room to change her dress. Hikaru and Kaoru grinned as they watched her go, knowing that the magic ink would be gone by the time Yuko reached her room.

After this misadventure with the ink and a wasted trip, Yuko headed for the kitchens. Yet before she reached the door, a footman popped up. The staff member informed Yuko that the queen wished to see her. Yuko asked which chamber the monarch had summoned her to. The footman then directed her to a room on the opposite side of the castle.

This ruse bought approximately a half an hour. Yuko stormed back to the area near the entrance to the kitchens, muttering furiously under her breath about unneeded summons. By this time, the rest of the troupe had joined the twins in their observations.

"She's going for the door!" Honey exclaimed quietly.

"Oh, don't worry—this is the last prank we'll need to pull," Kaoru assured him.

All staff members had been directed to take the long way around to the kitchens rather than the stairwell entrance. The troupe realized why once Yuko opened the door.

A precariously positioned bucket of water tipped over, drenching the secondary advisor. She let out a shriek. This racket drew the attention of a number of staff members. One of the butlers covered his mouth, then launched into an apology. The butler claimed that this prank had been intended for one of the cooks. In the course of this explanation, the butler innocently inquired as to why on earth Yuko had wished to visit the kitchens on this particular day. Yuko spluttered and snapped that her task was "no one's business" before stomping away—most likely to change her soaked clothes.

The collected staff members burst out laughing as soon as the advisor had disappeared around the corner. The troupe emerged from their hiding place and joined in on the mirth. Hikaru tossed a bag of coins to the butler for his admirable performance.

Once the laughter had calmed, the staff members thanked the troupe for their morning amusement and departed.

"Well, that should be the last of Yuko's meddling—at least for today," Kaoru said with a grin.

"Did you see her face when the bucket fell? That was perfect!" Hikaru exclaimed as the troupe started down the stairs leading to the kitchens.

"But I wish Haruhi could have seen it," Kaoru commented. "I think she would have enjoyed it."

The troupe agreed as they descended into the bustling servants' quarters. They reached the kitchens, but stopped short.

In one of the empty kitchens reserved for special occasions, Haruhi sat laughing at a small wooden table with a dark-haired young man.

"Who is _he?_ " Tamaki and the twins asked simultaneously.

" _That_ would be Arai."

The troupe turned to Mei.

"He's an old playmate of Haruhi's. They were practically inseparable when they were little," Mei explained.

"What? Then what's he doing back now?" Hikaru demanded.

Mei shrugged. "I have no idea."

Tamaki whisked Mei aside. "You have to tell us everything you know about him—immediately."

"I honestly don't remember much about him. I've been racking my brain, but he's not very memorable."

"Mei, think! Anything you can come up with might help us," Kaoru, who had joined Tamaki and his twin in hovering over the girl, urged.

"I think all three of you are overreacting," Kyoya stated.

"Oh wait!" Mei snapped her fingers.

The trio in front of Mei leaned forward, eyes wide with anticipation.

"I do remember that one time, I dared him to stick his head between the columns of the balustrade. He didn't want to do it, so I started making fun of him until he did it."

"Then what happened?" Tamaki asked.

Mei offered a sheepish smile. "He got stuck. Haruhi and I tried to get him out, but we eventually had to call Dad. I think he avoided me after that. He probably doesn't like me very much. I wonder if he would remember that. It may be best if I stay out of his way…"

Mei glanced at the disappointed expressions in front of her as she trailed off. "What?"

"You seriously can't remember anything more than that?" Hikaru muttered.

"Sorry—like I said, he's not very memorable," Mei said.

"What are all of you doing out here?" a voice cut in.

Hikaru, Kaoru and Tamaki jumped. All three tried to look innocent as they faced the princess.

"Ah—Haru—I mean—High—Er—" Tamaki stammered, glancing over Haruhi's shoulder to the strange young man.

"It's fine, Tamaki—Arai knows who I am," Haruhi said with a wave of her hand. "Please—come in. I'd like for all of you to meet."

Surprisingly, Honey and Mori led the group into the kitchen.

"Great!" Honey chirped. "I'd love to meet one of Her Highness's old friends!"

Yeah," Mori agreed.

Kyoya followed after them with a smirk at the last trio of the troupe. "Well, are you three coming?"

At that, Tamaki, Hikaru and Kaoru shuffled in after the others as Mei excused herself.

"Arai, I'd like you to meet the members of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ ," Haruhi said.

The young man offered a wide smile. "Nice to meet you. Haruhi has told me a lot about you."

"What _exactly_ has she told you?" Hikaru growled.

Tamaki shoved him aside. "I hope it's all been good things."

"Of course. Your court performances sound incredibly interesting—I hope to see a few while I'm here," Arai said.

"And how long are you planning to stay?" Kaoru asked with a careful politeness that might have masked the barest hint of irritation.

"I'm not quite sure," Arai said. "Perhaps for a few weeks."

"What are you doing here anyway?" Hikaru snarled.

"Guys, do you mind?" Haruhi asked, cutting her eyes at Hikaru. "I'm sure Arai would rather not answer a million questions."

"No, it's fine! I don't mind. It's natural that they would be curious," Arai said. "I'm a bard. I've been traveling in the surrounding kingdoms for a few years now. But recently, I've gotten a bit homesick. I thought it would be nice to come back for a bit."

"Is it strange being back after all this time?" Haruhi asked.

"A bit," Arai admitted. "Some things have changed drastically. But other things haven't changed a bit—like you, Haruhi. I don't think you've changed at all."

"Well of course she's changed! What kind of pathetic attempt at courting is this?" Hikaru leaned against one of the nearby counters as he glared at Arai.

"Hikaru!" Haruhi exclaimed. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"Are you blind? It's obvious he's interested in you," Hikaru said.

Haruhi started to reply, but Arai held up a hand.

"He's right, in a way," the bard said. "But you turned me down, so I had to get over it."

At that, Haruhi's head jerked around. "Wait, _what_?" she exclaimed in unison with the rest of the troupe.

Arai chuckled. "You don't remember, do you? It must have been three or four years since it happened."

Haruhi shook her head, a blank look in her eye.

"It was during the summer. You were sick of some business with the court. So I asked you to run away with me," Arai explained. "I can't remember exactly what you said. But I do remember you laughed at me."

The troupe stared at Haruhi.

"Highness, is this true?" Kyoya asked.

Realization had dawned on Haruhi. Her mouth open and shut wordlessly.

"That would be really cruel if you laughed at him," Honey added.

Finally, Haruhi managed to form words as she looked to Arai. "You…you _meant_ that?"

"Well of course—I wouldn't have said it otherwise," Arai replied.

"I am _so_ sorry! I really thought you were joking!" Haruhi exclaimed.

Arai rubbed at the back of his neck. "You don't have to turn me down twice. Like I said, I got over it a long time ago."

Haruhi nodded with a sheepish smile. "I…I guess that's good."

Before the following silence could become awkward, Tamaki jumped in.

"Then Arai, I'm sure you have all kinds of stories about Her Highness," the troupe's leader said as he pulled another chair over to the table. "We would all love to hear more."

"Definitely!" Honey tugged a fourth chair over to the table.

"As long as Haruhi doesn't mind—" Arai started with a sideways glance to the princess.

"I don't mind. A walk down memory lane might be nice," Haruhi said.

As the others crowded around the table to hear more about the princess's childhood, Kaoru took up a place at his brother's side to watch.

"Don't you think we should join in?" Kaoru asked in a low voice.

"Nope." The reply was curt.

So Kaoru stayed and waited.

After yet another of Arai's tales, Tamaki looked to the twins.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, you really should come listen to this. Don't you want to know more about Her Highness?"

"Not from this loser." Hikaru stood from his leaning position. "What's the point in blabbering about the past anyway? It's stupid. And you're all way too trusting. Her Highness hasn't seen this guy in years. She shouldn't just suddenly welcome him back. Plus, if he knows who she is, then shouldn't he address her by her title? They can't be _that_ close."

During this speech, Haruhi rose and crossed the room. Before the rant could continue, she raised a hand.

 _SLAP!_

"That's enough! You can't make those kinds of judgements. Those things are between me and Arai." Haruhi's eyes burned as she continued. "I won't let you insult friends of mine—and you _will not_ cross that line again."

The others hardly dared to breathe as Hikaru stared at the floor. Finally, Hikaru lifted his eyes to Haruhi.

"I don't get it! We do all of these things for you, but you're willing to throw us over—just like that? I thought we were your friends! Or do we not mean that much to you?" he shouted.

Haruhi blinked. "Wha—"

Hikaru's hands balled into fists as the glimmer of tears rose in his eyes. He pushed past Haruhi and rushed out of the room.

"Hikaru, wait!" Kaoru called. He ran after his brother.

A shocked silence settled over the room as the pounding footsteps faded.

Tamaki sighed. "I suppose I was foolish to think that Hikaru would be beyond this. He's not nearly as adaptable as his brother."

Haruhi glanced to him curiously. "What do you mean?"

Tamaki shook his head and rose from his seat. "Arai, I'm deeply sorry for that scene."

"It's not a problem. Though it would be nice to know what I did to make him so angry," Arai commented with a slight smile.

"I don't think it's anything against you personally," Tamaki replied. "And Highness, I'd like to apologize for Hikaru's behavior as well."

"Thank you, but you're not the one I want an apology from," Haruhi said.

Tamaki offered a slight bow. "In that case, we will leave you to your work, Highness. Kyoya, a moment?"

The illusionist and the troupe's leader slipped out of the room. Mori and Honey followed a few moments later.

"Well, I guess I should let you get back to your work too," Arai said as he stood from his place. "I'm sure Misuzu needs you."

"Right. We'll see each other around plenty though, right?" Haruhi asked.

Arai nodded with a smile. "Of course."

No sooner had Arai left the unused kitchen, Mei popped her head in the door, eyes wide.

"What was _that_ all about?" the lady-in-waiting asked.

"You were eavesdropping?"

"Of course! And what is Arai doing as _a bard_? Wasn't he set to inherit a dukedom or something like that?"

Haruhi covered her eyes with one hand. "I was hoping everyone had forgotten about that…"

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Don't you think you're overreacting a bit?" Kaoru asked as he moved one of the boxes of props out of the way.**_

 _ **"I'm not," Hikaru growled.**_

 _ **Kaoru sighed and glanced about the backstage. He spotted a figure walking towards them.**_

 _ **"Well, this should be interesting." He thought.**_

Who could this figure be? And what is Kaoru anticipating? Check back next Monday to find out!


	73. Chapter 72: Alliances and Apologies

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses kick us off first!

 **Penstar1331:** Excellent suggestions! And you'll find out soon exactly how well Tamaki can hide his jealousy.

 **panda808** : Those are both very good suggestions. I've noted both-thank you!

 **Alice Kitten:** Haha, well, I hope you enjoy Hikaru's anger because there's still a bit more to come!

 **lillyannp:** Thank you very much! And Arai's inheritance is indeed going to cause problems-but perhaps not for the character you think it will!

So, as the Karuizawa arc parallel continues this week, I've decided to keep both the reader question and Reader Wishlist topic the same. The reader question is: **what kind of moments would you like to see between Haruhi and Hikaru?** Again, the "First Date" arc was _heavily_ dependent on technology and may require some alterations due to that. I'm open to hear any and all reader suggestions on this point!

This update, the topic is still... **elements of the original "Operation Haruhi and Hikaru's First Date" arc!** Are any points a major necessity? Anything you would rather see left out? Send in your thoughts!

The next update will be **next Monday** as usual.

Now, onto the next chapter-in which our princess is determined to make changes in Ichio.

* * *

Much to the distaste of certain members of the troupe, Haruhi spent the majority of her time with Arai in the days following Hikaru's outburst. While Arai bore no ill will towards the performer, the princess still hadn't spoken to Hikaru. This silent treatment had done little to improve Hikaru's sour attitude. To prevent further arguments, the troupe actively ensured that Hikaru and the wandering bard had as little interaction as possible.

However, the court welcomed Arai with open arms. Even Ranka seemed delighted with the young man's return. One evening, the queen requested that the bard perform for the court. Arai gladly obliged and even Hikaru was unable to deny the bard's talent for song and storytelling.

Yet, not once did anyone breathe a word regarding Arai and his dukedom. Some had forgotten this fact completely and those that remembered were under strict orders from Mei not to bring up the subject for the princess's sake. The lady-in-waiting could recognize a potential for drama from a mile away.

One night, Mei sat with Haruhi in the princess's chambers. While the two sipped thick drinking chocolate, the princess spoke at length about how good it was to see her old friend again. Mei listened to this with careful interest, ideas forming in her mind. Finally, the lady-in-waiting broached the rather sensitive topic.

"You know, Haruhi…with Yuko so caught up with marrying you off…Arai might be a good match."

Haruhi's face screwed up. "Ugh, Mei, that would be like marrying my brother!"

"Oh please! You two haven't seen each other in years—he's not that close to you!"

"Well, it would at least be like marrying a close cousin. I couldn't do it," Haruhi declared. "Besides, Arai plans to denounce his inheritance and title."

Mei's mouth fell open. " _What?_ Why on earth would he want to do that?"

"He said it's too much responsibility far too soon. He wants time to travel. To have a life beyond the demands of his title. Which, I can't say that I blame him." Haruhi stared moodily into her china cup.

Mei huffed. "First decent prospect for you in months and he's a foolish idealist…"

Haruhi rolled her eyes. But Mei wasn't prepared to let the subject drop.

"So if you refuse to consider marrying someone like Arai, then hypothetically, who would you marry?" the lady-in-waiting asked. "If anyone was available—commoner, nobleman—whatever! Who would you pick?"

"Are we really getting into this?" Haruhi asked.

"Yes. Yes we are. It's been more than a month since your eighteenth birthday. If Yuko starts pushing the point, then I want to be able to stand behind you and know what you _really_ want," Mei persisted.

"What I want is _not_ to marry."

"Which you know isn't possible. So consider if you did."

Haruhi sighed. "Fine. I suppose considering marriage being forced upon me…I don't care for anyone in a romantic extent and I don't know that that will change anytime soon. So, in that case, I would have to go by usefulness."

The princess's mouth pursed for a moment, then she grinned. "Maybe Kyoya."

Mei promptly choked on her drinking chocolate.

When she recovered, she glared at Haruhi. "Don't even joke! You see how he rules the troupe. I'd rather not have a Shadow King, thank you very much."

"Joking aside, it's still an issue that I'd rather not consider."

"And if you fell in love?" Mei asked.

Haruhi shrugged. "I suppose I might be more open to marriage then. But love seems so complicated. I would much rather rule on my own."

"The court might accept such a notion, but what do you think the people will think? How are you going to allay their fears if you rule alone? And you know how the rest of the world would view a single queen. How would you plan on proving yourself to other countries? To Velssia to the west? To Alsance?" Mei set her drinking chocolate aside and leaned forward.

"I could do it. It wouldn't be easy, but it could be done," Haruhi replied.

"Even after how isolated our kingdom has been? Haruhi, we have no allies."

At this statement, a realization seemed to wash over Haruhi. Mei watched a familiar expression of stubborn determination rise on the princess's face.

"Then I'll simply have to make some."

Mei instantly realized her mistake as the princess rose. "Wait, Haruhi—what do you think you're doing?"

The lady-in-waiting followed as Haruhi marched out of her chambers and down the quiet corridors to the library. Haruhi immediately strode to one of the shelves and pulled down a thick volume that was yellowed with age.

"What are you looking at?" Mei asked.

"Bright's Peerage," Haruhi opened the book and began flipping through it. "I suppose we'll start with Alsance as we've always had a fairly amicable relationship…And here it is! The royal line."

"I don't follow," Mei said. "What does any of this have to do with alliances?"

"I'm going to start writing letters to other monarchs. Surely from there, we could begin to strike up alliances."

Mei stared. "That…that just might work."

Haruhi scanned the page before her. "It says here that Alsance's most recent monarch is King Yuzuru Suoh. And that's who I need to write my first letter to."

Mei simply nodded, wondering how long this night would last.

#

The next morning, Haruhi immediately went to her father's chambers, letter in hand. After the typical exchange of good-mornings, she presented the letter. Ranka looked to her curiously.

"What's this?"

"It's a letter to King Yuzuru of Alsance."

At Ranka's perplexed look, she continued, "I want to start making alliances. Build up Ichio's political standing. And I thought the best way to do that would be through personal letters to the monarchs of our neighbors."

A few indecipherable expressions passed over Ranka's face. Finally, he chuckled. "Well, I suppose such a direct approach to diplomacy wouldn't hurt."

The queen began to pace as he considered this line of thought. "It has been quite some time since I've done this sort of thing. But I still remember a bit. You do know that alliances will require a significant amount of work. Throwing parties, hosting diplomats—that kind of thing?"

"Yes. That's why I want to start slowly. Just with Alsance at first."

Ranka nodded. "Excellent idea. Alsance would be most likely to be open to an alliance. After all, your mother and Yuzuru had talked of such plans long ago."

This time, it was Haruhi's turn to be puzzled. "Wait…you and Mom knew King Yuzuru?"

"Oh yes. He actually visited us here when you were very little—I'm sure you don't remember him. At that time, his nickname was 'The Bachelor King.'" A fond smile came to Ranka's lips as he paused for a moment. "Though Kotoko shortly discovered that he had been married in secret and had a son."

Haruhi frowned. "In that case, do you think the crown could have passed to his son?"

"I'm not sure. But, there's only one way to find out," Ranka said as he seated himself at his desk. "I will write to Yuzuru immediately, inquire about his son, make the appropriate introductions and send your letter along as well. I can't imagine a monarch refusing to reply to letters from two of a royal family."

Haruhi's frown turned into a smile in an instant. "Great! Thanks Dad!"

"Of course, dear. Who knows—this may even be fun for your old father," Ranka replied with a grin.

"You're not old."

"I'm glad you think that." Ranka nodded towards the empty table. "Do you have time for breakfast?"

Haruhi glanced at the clock. "Um, well, we do have a couple of performances today—"

Ranka waved a hand. "Say no more! Go right ahead. Just make sure Yuko doesn't catch you on the way out."

After one last hug, Haruhi hurried back to her chambers to change for her venture into the city.

#

The newest round of the troupe's performances proved to be a wild success. As Renge was still preparing the script for the next multiple act farce, this series of acts concentrated more on a light-hearted slapstick comedy. And the acts involved very little interaction between _Columbina_ and her usual _innamorata_ mistress—to the troupe's relief as the two parties still refused to speak to each other.

Once the performances ended and the troupe set about breaking down their stage, Kaoru approached his brother in an attempt at brokering a reconciliation.

"You know, you two will have to talk to each other at some point."

Hikaru scoffed. "When Her Highness feels like coming down to the level of the rest of us mortals and apologizing, _then_ I'll be willing to talk."

"But what did she do wrong?"

"I don't know—maybe totally ignored her _real_ friends? What has Arai done for her anyway?"

"Don't you think you're overreacting a bit?" Kaoru asked as he moved one of the boxes of props out of the way.

"I'm not," Hikaru growled.

Kaoru sighed and glanced about the backstage. He spotted a figure walking towards them.

 _"_ _Well, this should be interesting."_ He thought.

"Ah, Arai! How are you?" Tamaki called as soon as he saw the new guest.

"I'm doing well!" The bard stopped short of the troupe's leader. "I have to say that your city performances are just as amusing as your court performances."

"Thank you." Tamaki beamed.

"Would you mind if I spoke to Haruhi?"

Instantly, Tamaki's expression fell to horrified shock. "Uh, er…I'm afraid you must have things confused—"

"It's fine, Tamaki." Haruhi emerged from the wagon in her commoner's clothes. "I've already told Arai about my role as _Columbina_."

As Haruhi walked past him, Tamaki chewed his lower lip. "Um, Haruhi, do you think that's wise?"

"Arai has been my friend for a very long time. He's excellent at keeping secrets," Haruhi asserted. "I trust him."

Tamaki's expression remained uneasy, but he nodded. "Then I defer to your judgement."

Hikaru, however, was unwilling to let this point pass without a fight.

"Have you lost your mind?" he demanded. "You'd trust someone _that_ easily? Have you even thought about what kind of a risk it could be?"

"Hikaru," Kyoya cut in with a razor-edged tone. "You've said more than enough. And you _will not_ make a scene where our audience could overhear or see us."

Hikaru started to protest, but Kyoya's subsequent glare could have turned flesh to stone. Instead, Hikaru shoved past the others and disappeared into the wagon.

After a long moment, Tamaki began, "Kaoru, would you—"

"Already on it, milord," Kaoru stated as he walked towards the wagon.

"Well, I suppose the least I can do is help all of you break down this set," Arai offered.

"You're welcome to help!" Honey chimed in.

As they worked, Arai said, "It looks like I came home just in time. Everyone is ready for the Festival of Remembrance."

"Week of Remembrance?" The other troupe members looked curiously to Haruhi and Arai.

"It's a week that starts tomorrow with the Morning of Ashes, which is in memory of King Hideyoshi. He died on the battlefield during a war with a neighboring country more than two centuries ago," Haruhi explained. "And after the Ceremony of Ash in the morning, people feast and celebrate for seven days to commemorate Queen Mizuki's victory in the subsequent battle."

"Which country was Ichio at war with?" Kyoya asked.

"The Empire of Eretor, which was to the north," Arai said. "But, it crumbled shortly after the war. In any case, I think you'll all enjoy the festival. It really showcases a lot of Ichio's culture."

"Then we'll all have to attend!" Tamaki declared.

Shortly after this discussion, Hikaru emerged from the wagon. He trudged over to Arai as the others held their breath.

"Um, look…I'm sorry about earlier. And that argument the other day. I just let my emotions get the better of me sometimes…I shouldn't have overreacted," Hikaru said.

The other troupe members blinked in disbelief.

"Oh, it's all water under the bridge," Arai said. "But I appreciate the apology."

Hikaru offered a hand and Arai shook it.

Even when Arai waved goodbye to the troupe, the members still stared in shock at Hikaru. That is, everyone but Haruhi.

"So, Kaoru—you couldn't get Hikaru to apologize?" she asked.

Instantly, "Hikaru" winced. "I tried. I really did."

Haruhi shook her head with a sigh.

"I don't think Hikaru is going to quit sulking anytime soon," Kaoru said. "So I have a favor to ask."

Haruhi's head tilted to one side. "What is it?"

"I overheard you explaining the Festival of Remembrance. It sounds like fun. So would you come with me to the celebrations tomorrow?"

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Hikaru, I don't think I can go." Kaoru mumbled.**_

 _ **"What? What do you mean?" Hikaru asked.**_

 _ **"I feel really sick."**_

 _ **"Then I'll stay here and take care of you."**_

 _ **"No." Kaoru grabbed his brother's hand. "I have something else I need you to do."**_

I think everyone knows what schemes are about to be unleashed. Check back next Monday to find out more!


	74. Chapter 73: A Scheme in Motion

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well. Review responses are up first!

 **Hana Chouchou:** Thank you very much for the correction. I really appreciate it.

 **lillyannp:** Oh, everything will come in good time! The next few chapters will be a wealth of information, I promise!

So, the reader question is up for a change this update. This post, I'd like to know... **which character's background would you _most_ like to know about?** Any characters are fair game here and you are more than welcome to suggest multiple characters.

The Reader Wishlist is also up for a change this update. The topic for this post is... **The Alsancean court!** With a bit of tweaking like making up names for a few unnamed characters (such as the staff at Suoh Mansion Three in the anime and manga), we could get a glimpse into how things are going back at the castle in Alsance. This would be a short single chapter segment that, like the Kotoko and Ryoji arc, would occur at a break in the action of the major arc. I'm open to any ideas that my readers would like to see here, so please send in your thoughts!

The schedule is again up for a bit of modification. Over the last week, I've had several responsibilities pop up that require a good bit of my attention. I'm concerned that remaining on the usual update schedule may be a bit much for me. As such, I'd like to space the next chapter out by two weeks. So, the next update will be **the Monday after next.**

Now, onto the next chapter-in which Kaoru's schemes are put into action!

* * *

The morning of the first day of the Festival of Remembrance, Hikaru awoke well before sunrise in the Great Hall. He stared at the ceiling and tossed and turned for a while, but finally gave up on returning to sleep. Instead, he rose and started to get ready for the day. But as he dressed, a weak voice hailed him.

"Hikaru…"

He glanced over to Kaoru's pallet. "Kaoru, it's early. Go back to sleep."

The reply wasn't any stronger. "I…I can't. I'm sick."

At this, Hikaru hurried over to Kaoru's side, dread twisting in his stomach. "What's wrong?"

"Just feel sick to my stomach." Kaoru rolled over onto his side. "Hikaru, I don't think I can go today."

"What? What do you mean?" Hikaru asked.

"Haruhi and I were supposed to go to the festival today…"

"Well, I'll have milord tell her that you're sick. Surely she'll understand. In the meantime, I'll stay here and take care of you."

"No." Kaoru grabbed his brother's hand. "I have something else I need you to do."

Hikaru stared. "Um…what?"

#

The scent of burning incense filled the air in the king's chambers as the morning sun filtered through the windows. The smoke curled up from the altar dedicated to Queen Kotoko.

Haruhi knelt before the altar, eyes shut as her hands rested in her lap. After a long moment, she opened her eyes with a slight smile at the image of her mother. She then snuffed out the incense with water and traced a small flower on the back of her hand with the ashes.

Others in the city would be celebrating King Hideyoshi in similar rituals and wear the five-petaled flower that symbolized Ichio in his name. But for the princess, the flower had always represented her mother.

She emerged from the king's chambers to find her father standing quietly outside. The king smiled, though it couldn't hide the trace of sadness in his eyes. But Ryoji spoke before Haruhi could comment.

"You're planning on going to the festival today?"

She nodded. "I'm supposed to go with Kaoru. He said he wanted to learn more about Ichio's customs."

"Wonderful! The Festival of Remembrance is an excellent opportunity," Ryoji declared. "I trust you'll show him everything."

"Of course Dad."

The king pulled his daughter into an embrace before sending her on her way.

Haruhi caught sight of a clock on the way to her chambers. She winced, realizing she was late and hurried on.

After rushing to don her commoner's clothing, she dashed down to the Spy's Courtyard where Kaoru had promised to meet her before departing. Yet, she found it empty.

"Kao—Kaoru?" she called, still trying to catch her breath.

"I'm here."

Kaoru emerged from one of the breezeways and crossed the courtyard to her. "I was getting worried you wouldn't come."

Haruhi began to respond, but something stopped her. She narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. "Hikaru, if this is your idea of a joke, it's not very funny."

The smile melted from the twin's face in an instant.

"What? How'd you know it was me?" Hikaru protested.

"I can tell you two apart. Now where's Kaoru?"

"He's sick."

"Oh. Then I guess that means today is cancelled?" Haruhi asked.

"No. He said that he wanted me to escort you instead."

Haruhi nodded with pursed lips. "Uh huh. So does this mean that you're talking to me again?"

"Hey! _You_ were the one that wasn't talking to _me!"_ Hikaru exclaimed. At the princess's unimpressed glance, he took a deep breath. After a moment, he said, "I'm sorry. That came out wrong. Of course it means that we're talking again."

At that, Haruhi eased. Maybe this day wouldn't be so bad after all. "Good. Shall we go then?"

#

As Hikaru and Haruhi walked through the streets bustling with people immersed in the celebrations, neither noticed a small group tailing them.

"Kaoru, what kind of madness is this?" Tamaki hissed as the other troupe members dodged into an alley before Haruhi could spot them. "You're throwing the princess together with _Hikaru! Hikaru—_ of all people! Have you forgotten that they haven't spoken to each other in _days_?"

Kaoru rolled his eyes and peered around the corner of the alley. "Calm down, milord. Besides, they seem to be getting along fine now. Maybe they patched things up."

Tamaki sidled up to the corner as well. "Fine. Maybe they have. But what's the point of all this? Why is this scheme even necessary?"

Kaoru sighed. "Milord, I know it's hard for a social person like yourself to understand, but Hikaru needs to find people he truly cares about. We've always just depended on each other. That's made us both a bit selfish and closed-off."

Tamaki blinked. "Wait…you mean you're aware of that?"

Without acknowledging the comment, Kaoru continued, "I know Hikaru really cares for Her Highness. But up until now, he's always seen other people as toys. He doesn't understand how to deal with people as real friends. That's why he lost it when Arai showed up. Hikaru thinks that friendship is some kind of all-or-nothing thing. That if you don't have someone's complete attention all the time, they're not really your friend."

The others crowded closer to Kaoru, wide-eyed with surprise as this analysis finished.

"Hikaru needs to learn that friendship is really about respect and caring for others without thinking about yourself. I'm hoping that today will teach him that," Kaoru concluded.

Kyoya adjusted his glasses with one finger. "So in other words, today is a test?"

"Exactly," Kaoru replied. "And that's why I don't want anyone to interfere."

"But…why are we following them then?" Honey asked.

Kaoru grinned. "Do you think I would miss out on something like this? Now, come on! We're going to lose them if we don't move!"

The others hurried to catch up with their targets. But before following the others, Tamaki cast a glance up at a cloud-bank gathering to the north. He frowned, then shook his head and walked on.

At this point, Haruhi and Hikaru had paused beside one of the merchant stalls that had multiplied in time for the celebrations.

"So what do you want to do first?" Haruhi asked.

Hikaru shrugged. "I don't know. Kaoru was the one that wanted to see this stuff. I don't really ca—"

Yet, as if Kaoru's warnings came back to him, he cut himself off. "You know, wasn't there some ceremony that happened today?"

"That's the Morning of Ashes. And it's done pretty early in the day."

Hikaru tried not to groan. "Okay. Is there _anything_ else you people do for this festival?"

"Honestly, it's been a pretty long time since I've really participated in the Festival of Remembrance celebrations."

"Great, so we have no idea what we're going to do then," Hikaru stated.

"Guess so."

Hikaru stuffed his hands in his pockets and hung his head. "Fantastic."

"Well, maybe something will hit us if we just keep walking," Haruhi suggested.

"Alright, whatever."

They drifted back into the growing crowd in the street. Laughter resounded around them and someone tossed colorful confetti into the air. But even this couldn't distract Haruhi from the darkening clouds in the distance.

"I wonder if it's going to rain today. I hope we don't have any thunderstorms," she said.

"Who cares if it does? Since when did you care about the weather so much?" Hikaru asked.

At the sound of an aggravated exclamation behind them, Haruhi and Hikaru turned around. But the source of the sound was nowhere to be seen.

"That's funny—that sounded just like Tamaki," Hikaru said.

Yet when he turned back to where Haruhi had been, she was gone. He glanced about sharply until he spotted her at another booth.

"Hey! You shouldn't run off like that," he exclaimed as he made his way over to her.

"Sorry—I totally forgot about this part of the festival!" Haruhi gestured to a series of metal pots standing behind the stall. "Ice cream!"

"Huh? Isn't this stuff really hard to make?"

"It is, but that's why people make it for this festival. What kind do you want?"

"Um, I guess whatever kind you like," Hikaru replied.

"Two strawberry ice creams, please," Haruhi requested. She paid the merchant and soon offered Hikaru a wafer funnel filled with pink frozen cream.

Hikaru stared at the funnel. "I've never seen it served like that."

"That's part of the tradition for the festival," Haruhi explained. "It makes it easier for people to eat it while they're walking around."

Hikaru took the funnel, impressed. "That's really neat."

"Try it—it's good."

Hikaru took a careful bite of the wafer funnel. "Huh. That is good. So you like strawberries?"

"Uh huh. They've always been my favorite fruit."

The two then stopped at a booth displaying a number of brightly colored bags. "These are good luck charms," Haruhi explained. "They say that they have greater power if they're bought at the beginning of the festival."

"That's silly. Who would think those would work?" Hikaru muttered.

"Well, if it helps someone feel better, does it matter if it really works or not?"

Hikaru shrugged. "Whatever."

Haruhi picked up a green bag and a blue bag. "I'll take both of these."

"What are you doing that for? Do you need luck?" Hikaru asked.

"They're for Kaoru," Haruhi replied. "One is for luck and the other is to ward off illness. I thought we could both give him one since you're worried about him."

Hikaru's mouth dropped open. "Wait—what? How did you—how did you know I was worried about him?"

"I can just tell," Haruhi said. She ignored Hikaru's flinching as she breezed past him. "Come on, let's keep going."

The rest of the day was spent trying the brightly colored candies and regional dishes only available during the Festival of Remembrance as well as examining the wide variety of tokens sold by festival merchants.

Yet the clouds to the north continued to grow as the day went on. Finally, a low rumble of thunder echoed over the city.

Haruhi's head snapped up. "Did you hear that?"

"What? I didn't hear anything," Hikaru said.

"I think…I think that might have been thunder." Haruhi bit her lip.

"Then let's head back to the castle. The sooner we start, the better chance we'll have of getting back before it starts raining," Hikaru said.

"Good idea."

But before they could start back to the castle, a voice hailed them. "Haruhi—is that you?"

Haruhi glanced up and waved. "Hi—Arai, what are you doing here?"

"I was just visiting my cousin's shop. She just opened it last year, so it's nice that I'm finally able to see it. Are you guys enjoying the festival?" Arai asked.

"Yeah. But I think we're going to call it a day and head back to—well, you know," Haruhi said.

Arai lowered his voice. "Oh, right. I forget you have to be careful out here. Listen, my cousin has a cart and horse—she could take all of us back."

"That would be great—" Haruhi started.

"We're fine!" Hikaru cut in. "We're going to walk back."

"But you could get caught in the storm," Arai said.

"A horse and cart is going to take forever to get through all this!" Hikaru exclaimed, gesturing to the celebrations around them. "It'll be faster just to walk!"

Another roll of thunder rumbled.

Haruhi's breath caught. "Uh, Hikaru, a horse and cart might be a lot faster. There are plenty of empty streets—"

"Then you can go back alone," Hikaru said.

"But—" Haruhi began.

"Look, I don't care what you do—but I'm not going to let you drag me into your stupid reminisces with your idiot friend!" Hikaru shouted.

"Hikaru—wait!" Haruhi called.

But Hikaru was already storming away.

Haruhi shook her head. "I don't understand it…things were going so well."

Arai stared after the path Hikaru had taken through the crowd. "I suppose there's nothing we can do. Do you want to go back now?"

A third clap of thunder rang out and Haruhi cringed. But Arai didn't seem to notice as she replied, "Yes. Please."

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 ** _"How could you?" Tamaki cried. "You left her!"_**

 ** _"No I didn't—she wanted to go with Arai," Hikaru shot back. "She's the one that left me!"_**

 ** _"She wouldn't have done that! You should know better than that! Don't you understand why she went with him?"_**

 ** _"Of course I understand—she obviously doesn't think of me as a real friend—"_**

 ** _"Hikaru, she's terrified of thunder!"_**

Oh dear. What could possibly happen during this argument? And how will the princess react to her secret being revealed? Check back Monday after next to find out!


	75. Chapter 74: Fears Revealed

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first as usual!

 **lillyannp:** Tamaki is _quite_ angry. I always felt that the original material could have been a bit more tense and I think that came out here. As for Haruhi's reaction, hopefully I have lived up to her characterization thus far in this chapter!

 **Amarenima Redwood:** Thank you so much-I'm so glad you're enjoying the story! Thank you for the review!

 **alexandra . ross .902** : That's wonderful-thank you! It's always great to hear that new readers are enjoying the first chapters. I look forward to hearing from you on later chapters!

So, this week, I'm keeping the reader question on the same topic. Like the last update, I'd like to know... **which character's background would you _most_ like to know about?** Any characters are fair game here and you are more than welcome to suggest multiple characters.

The Reader Wishlist topic is up for a bit of a tweak this post. This time, I'd like your suggestions on... **names for characters in Alsance's court!** I have decided to go ahead with the Alsance chapter and need names for the minor characters that were unnamed in the original material. I would love to use reader suggestions, so please send them in!

The update schedule is again up for a bit of a shift. This time, the next update will be **next Thursday (March 30th)**. I do have a reason for this change, which I will explain with the next update!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which Hikaru returns to the castle.

* * *

Hikaru's return trip to the castle left him drenched and even further demoralized after Haruhi's abandonment of him. He trudged into the Great Hall—his only desire was a place in front of the fireplace to warm up and dry off.

Yet when he walked into the Hall, the other troupe members glanced up. He cringed, preparing for a barrage of questions. However, the others said nothing. Hikaru shrugged it off as he sidled up to the fire. He didn't want to talk to anyone anyway.

A boom of thunder rattled the castle.

After the silence dragged on for minutes, Kaoru crossed the room to him. "Um…the princess came back a bit earlier than you did."

"Yeah. Figures she would."

"Do you want to talk about what happened?"

"What's there to talk about? She decided to go off with her _real_ friend, Arai, and left me."

Kaoru sighed. "And you're _sure_ that's what it was?"

"Of course I'm sure," Hikaru growled.

Kaoru frowned with a shrug and rejoined the other troupe members.

"I don't believe it," Hikaru heard him mutter.

"Yeah, Her Highness wouldn't just leave Hika without a good reason," Honey added.

"It is highly out of character for her," Kyoya conceded. "When she came into the castle, she seemed…"

"Scared." Mori declared.

As Hikaru listened to this babble, his anger grew. After all, Haruhi had run off! Why should she get the benefit of the doubt?

"Do you guys mind? The princess isn't as great as you all think she is!" Hikaru exclaimed, his hands balling into fists.

At that, a tight smile passed over Kyoya's face. "You may believe that, Hikaru, but do not forget that your actions today could be misconstrued as rudeness and even a slight to the crown. In fact, I was just about to suggest that you visit the princess and apologize to her."

"Are you joking?" Hikaru cried. "I didn't do anything wrong! I'm not going to apologize! I wasn't at fault!"

"Hika, you did agree to escort her at the festival. And as a gentleman, it would have been proper to see her safely home," Honey said.

"She made the choice to go with someone else! The second she went with Arai, she wasn't my responsibility," Hikaru snapped. "Kaoru, tell them!"

Kaoru leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling for a long moment.

"You're not on their side, are you?" Hikaru demanded.

Kaoru gazed at him with a weary expression. "It's hard for me not to be."

Hikaru recoiled. " _You too?"_

"Look, I have my reasons," Kaoru claimed as he held up his hands. "In the first place, Honey is right. Even when there's a change in plans, a gentleman or a lady is accommodating. Second, if something bad _had_ happened to Her Highness, we would all be in a mess. Just because she's our friend—"

"You mean _your_ friend."

" _Our_ friend," Kaoru stressed. "It doesn't change the fact that she is royalty and if something happens to her, it affects the entire kingdom. Not to mention milord and Alsance."

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me of that."

"And finally, taking all of the other points out of it, you should have been there for her _as her friend_. If your friendship with her really means anything to you, you should have been willing to let the point go. You have to pick your battles," Kaoru finished.

"Oh yeah? And what about _her?_ Obviously _my_ friendship doesn't mean much to her!" Hikaru exclaimed.

Kaoru groaned and covered his eyes with one hand. He looked to the others with a helpless shrug.

Hikaru didn't understand it. Why were they all ganging up on him?

Kyoya rose from his place and strode over. Hikaru straightened to his full height, though it didn't do much good against the illusionist, who could always seem bigger than he really was when he wanted to.

"We've tried giving you a choice and reasoning with you. Now, I'm _ordering_ you. Apologize to the princess," Kyoya stated.

"I. Will. Not."

Kyoya seemed to grow taller and loom over him. A flash of lightning illuminated his face briefly in stark blue light. Hikaru wanted to flinch, but he wasn't about to give in.

"You will apologize to the princess voluntarily or I will _make_ you."

From the illusionist's tone, Hikaru knew that this was not an empty threat. He slumped and glowered up at Kyoya before agreeing, "Fine. I'll apologize—but it's just for show. And shouldn't milord be the one concerned about all this stupid chivalry stuff? Where is he?"

Seemingly satisfied, Kyoya stepped back, his menacing posture dropping. "Tamaki disappeared shortly after Princess Haruhi returned."

Kyoya paused for a moment, a calculating expression flickering across his features. But he shook his head. "In any case, I would suggest that you apologize to Her Highness sooner rather than later."

Hikaru snorted. "What, are you going to come watch me do it?"

"In this case? Yes."

Hikaru nearly replied with another caustic comment, but something in Kyoya's gaze silenced it. He jammed his hands into his pockets. "Whatever. Let's get this over with."

The troupe members followed Hikaru up to the princess's chambers. Yet before Hikaru could knock, the door to the chambers opened and Tamaki stepped out.

"Thank you very much Mei." He offered a nod to someone within the chambers before shutting the door. But the moment he laid eyes on Hikaru, his expression changed.

For the first time since Hikaru had known him, real anger flashed in Tamaki's eyes.

"What have you come here for?" Tamaki asked.

"I'm supposed to apologize to Haruhi," Hikaru muttered.

Tamaki let out a harsh laugh. "With that kind of sullen attitude? I think not! How dare you think that you could offer up a falsehood like that?"

"Then blame Kyoya! He's forcing me to apologize—I don't actually _want_ to!" Hikaru snarled.

Tamaki stalked down the hall. "With everything that happened…I couldn't believe it when I heard!"

He rounded on Hikaru again. "How could you? You _left_ her!"

"No I didn't—she wanted to go with Arai," Hikaru shot back. "She's the one that left me!"

"She wouldn't have done that! You should know better than that! Don't you understand why she went with him?"

"Of course I understand—she obviously doesn't think of me as a friend—"

"Hikaru, she's terrified of thunder and lightning!" Tamaki blurted out.

Hikaru's jaw went slack.

 _"What?"_

"Tamaki, I would suggest keeping your voice down. I doubt the princess would appreciate the entire castle hearing this conversation," Kyoya cautioned.

Tamaki lowered his voice and said, "She's absolutely petrified of storms. Whenever one comes, she's so scared that she can't even move!"

Hikaru shook his head. "Well, how was I supposed to know that?"

"You should have listened!" Tamaki said with an exasperated sigh. "That's what real friends do for each other—they hear the other's concerns! They share things! Didn't she say anything about the weather?"

Haruhi's comments echoed in his mind with abrupt clarity.

 _I hope we don't have any thunderstorms_.

 _Did you hear that?_

 _I think…I think that might have been thunder._

 _Uh, Hikaru, a horse and cart might be a lot faster._

"Yeah, but…but I figured she was just worried about getting rained on," Hikaru confessed.

Tamaki's lips compressed into a tight line, but he remained silent.

Hikaru bowed his head. "I…I guess I really do need to apologize."

Tamaki flourished a hand towards the door and offered a mock bow.

Hikaru plodded past him and knocked at the door to the princess's chambers.

"I don't care what you _think_ you're going to do—you're not going to see the princess!" Mei proclaimed as soon as she opened the door.

"Mei, let him in," a quiet voice instructed from within the chamber. Mei groaned, but opened the door to allow him in.

Haruhi sat on one of the chamber's couches, wrapped in a blanket. She wore a clumsily crafted blindfold and a nightcap with thick ear-flaps on either side. One of the ear-flaps had been flicked aside, apparently allowing the princess to hear.

Hikaru took a seat beside her as Mei withdrew to her room in the chambers. "About what happened with Arai…"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't know."

"I know you didn't. I heard most of the conversation outside," Haruhi said, a slightly annoyed smile coming to her lips.

"Yeah…uh…"

"I'm not exactly happy about having all that happen within earshot of anyone and everyone, but I suppose there's nothing I can do about it now," Haruhi continued.

Hikaru hung his head and silence pervaded, only interrupted by the steady tap of rain on the windows outside.

"I was wrong," Hikaru admitted finally. "I shouldn't have reacted like that. I should have known better. Realized that you had reasons. I'm really sorry."

"Apology accepted."

Hikaru let out a sigh of relief. "Why did you just tell me you were afraid?"

"Would you just admit to one of your biggest fears?"

She had a point. But…

 _That's what friends do for each other-they hear the other's concerns! They share things!_ Tamaki's voice came to him.

He swallowed.

"It's being alone."

Haruhi turned towards him, despite the blindfold. "What?"

"My biggest fear is being alone," Hikaru repeated.

At that, Haruhi edged half of the blindfold up to peer at him. "Really?"

Hikaru nodded. "Yeah. After all, Kaoru has always been with me. I can't think of what I'd do if I was alone."

"Why are you telling me this?" Haruhi asked, pushing the other half of the blindfold up.

Hikaru shrugged, an uncomfortable sensation twisting in the pit of his stomach. "Well…you shared your fear with me, even if it wasn't your choice. As your friend, I felt like I needed to do the same."

Haruhi blinked, her mouth moving soundlessly.

A crash of thunder exploded through the night as lightning streaked across the sky.

Haruhi cried out and threw her arms around Hikaru.

For a moment, Hikaru sat there, stunned.

Thunder rolled again and Haruhi let out a whimper, bringing him back to his senses.

He pulled the blindfold back over her eyes, flicked both flaps over her ears and pulled her closer. She buried her face in his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Haruhi. I shouldn't have ever doubted you," he mumbled.

But the princess didn't seem to hear him through the thick wool of her cap.

* * *

And the next chapter's excerpt is...

 _ **"Majesty! Majesty!" The doors to the crimson and gold throne room burst open. An older man scampered into the room with a zeal of someone half his age.**_

 _ **"Donald? What's put you in such a state?" Yuzuru asked.**_

 _ **The man held up a letter. "It's from Ichio! From King Fujioka!"**_

 _ **Yuzuru's mouth dropped open. He whipped about to face Anne-Sophie's wide-eyed gaze.**_

 _ **Could this be news of an impending marriage?**_

Dear. Our Alsancean regents are in for quite a surprise...Check back **next Thursday** to find out the fate of the letter!


	76. Chapter 75: Spring in Alsance

**MAY UPDATE:**

Hi everyone! Hope you've been doing well! As promised, here is your update regarding the posting schedule.

My current schedule looks a bit like this: I've recently received some good news regarding one of my original works. Unfortunately, this means that my revisions have been taken from "something that needs to be finished soon" to "something that needs to be finished _immediately."_ Other obligations (such as work) are not going to lessen any time soon either. As such, I'm going to need a bit more time than expected before we're back on a regular posting schedule. However, you can expect the next chapter on **Monday May 29th!**

Thank you all for your patience during this hiatus!

* * *

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **ChiffonShock:** Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying it. Thank you so much for your review!

 **Amarenima Redwood:** Thank you! And thank you very much for the name suggestions! I'm glad to hear from you again!

 **nikkiheartbook:** I definitely intend on finishing this story. It may take a little more time than I originally expected, but I certainly plan on continuing to update on a regular basis until the story is done.

 **alexandra . ross . 902** : Thank you so much for all of the reviews! It's been fun to see reactions as someone progresses through the storyline. Can't wait to hear more!

 **lillyannp:** Thank you! I really struggle with writing Hikaru (I don't know why, but Kaoru is so much easier for me to write.) and I wanted to make sure I honored the original material as well as I could. Thank you for the name suggestions too!

 **iamover13:** The story is certainly a great deal longer than I originally intended, so I completely understand your point. I think, however, that the rest of the story should go fairly quickly from here. It's great to hear from you again-thanks for reviewing!

So, before I get to the reader question and Reader Wishlist, I need to discuss a couple of points. First, today is the one-year mark for this fanfiction! I can't believe it's already been a year. I want to give a _huge_ thank you to all of my readers and reviewers. You guys are absolutely what has kept this fanfiction going for an entire year.

Second, unfortunately, I need to announce a major change in the schedule. April means that Camp Nano (an off-shoot of NaNoWriMo) is starting. I'm planning on using this event to really work on some of my original projects. But, I'm concerned that the chapter quality for this fic might suffer severely if I try to juggle producing new chapters with Camp Nano work. **So, the story will be on update hiatus for April, likely until mid-May.** I'm hoping this extra time in May will also give me a chance to return to the story with fresh eyes, regroup and see what needs to be changed in my outline for later chapters. **I will add a note to this chapter on May 1st that will detail exactly when updates will be back on track**. Thank you in advance for your patience!

With the schedule change in mind, my reader question and Reader Wishlist are slightly condensed. This time, both topics are the same. So I'd like to know... **w** **hat do you want to see _most_ in future chapters?** This can really refer to any plot point, characterization, relationship etc. and will be a huge help in guiding my future outlines.

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a letter comes to the Alsancean court!

* * *

A profusion of shrubs and trees bloomed with their finest colors at the castle in Alsance's capital of Lysiens. All of the flowers offered up their fragrant perfumes in the mild warmth of the spring.

Alsance's regent gazed through the throne room window that overlooked one of the castle's gardens. He longed to be outside with his wife on those sweetly scented shady paths. But instead, he was trapped inside, being advised—or rather being talked at—by his mother.

"Yuzuru, are you even listening?" Shizue demanded at last.

Yuzuru offered his most charming grin. "Of course, Mother."

Next to him, Anne-Sophie disguised a hint of a smile.

Shizue huffed. "I sincerely doubt that."

"Now, Mother, you must admit that this is your third advising session with me within as many days. You weren't nearly this vocal whenever Tamaki wore the crown," Yuzuru said.

"Because Tamaki is young enough to know that he must _respect_ and _listen to_ his elders," Shizue declared. " _You_ have allowed age to make you arrogant."

Yuzuru put a hand over his heart as if stricken. "'Age?' Mother, you wound me."

"Hmph, and I'll do more than that if you continue to ignore my council," Shizue warned.

But Yuzuru knew it was an empty threat. After the fiasco regarding Anne-Sophie and Tamaki had been settled years earlier, Shizue had developed a begrudging respect for him. Perhaps she had been waiting for him to stand up to her and prove himself worthy of the crown he held.

So Yuzuru simply chuckled. "I will take your advice to heart."

A ghost of a smile flickered at Shizue's lips. "Then my work here is done. Good afternoon."

With that, the eldest advisor of Alsance strode out of the red and gold throne room.

Once the doors were safely closed, Anne-Sophie sighed. "I do hope Tamaki returns soon. I think even your mother is getting antsy. I mean, really, an hour lecture on the state of the castle's shrubbery?"

Yuzuru shrugged. "It is simply my mother's way of dealing with stress. However, we must all be patient. Tamaki will return when he is ready."

"But Yuzuru, don't you think this has gone on for long enough? He's been gone for months now," Anne-Sophie replied.

"Now, Anne—simply because we fell in love in a whirlwind doesn't mean that everyone else will," Yuzuru reminded her. "Besides, we should look at his long absence as a sign of good news. Had he not seen something in Ichio's princess, he would have returned home long before this."

"But we know nothing about this princess! You can't even remember her name, can you?"

Yuzuru reddened a bit. "Well, it has been quite some time since I visited Ichio and even then, it was a short visit and our encounters were quite brief. I do, however, remember that she was a remarkably quick-witted child."

Anne-Sophie covered her eyes with one hand. "That could be Tamaki's trouble then. A quick-wit usually yields a heart that's slow to warm."

But before Yuzuru could respond, a cry outside the throne-room interrupted them.

"Majesty! Majesty!"

The doors to the crimson and gold throne room burst open. An older man scampered into the room with a zeal of someone half his age.

"Donald? What's put you in such a state?" Yuzuru asked, stunned at this burst of energy from the typically sedate advisor.

The man held up a letter. "It's from Ichio! From King Fujioka!"

Yuzuru's mouth dropped open. He whipped about to face Anne-Sophie's wide-eyed gaze.

Could this be news of an impending marriage?

A butler carrying a letter-opener rushed in after Donald. But Yuzuru seized the letter Donald offered and ripped it open without the aid of the blade. Another smaller note dropped from the envelope and into Yuzuru's lap, but he ignored it. Anne-Sophie hurried over to stand behind him and began reading over his shoulder.

"It is from Ryoji," Yuzuru said as he read. He frowned. The lines penned here sounded a great deal different than the vivacious monarch he had known all those years ago. "He certainly seems different…"

Anne-Sophie put a hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps grief has changed him."

Yuzuru nodded ruefully and read on. "Ah! Here, he introduces his daughter! Haruhi! I can't believe I forgot!"

He scanned each line, preparing for some announcement of the royal engagement.

It wasn't there.

His heart sank. He could feel the disappointment radiating from Anne-Sophie.

"What is it, Majesty?" Donald urged.

"This letter is not an announcement of an engagement," Yuzuru said.

At once, Donald and the butler deflated. "Oh."

"But, at least it's not bad news," Anne-Sophie said as she read on. "In fact, it says here that Ryoji's daughter has written a letter detailing several questions…"

Yuzuru retrieved the smaller letter that had fallen into his lap. It was addressed to him in a neat, sharp hand. "He must be referring to this."

This time, Yuzuru took the letter opener and carefully sliced open the envelope. As he read the contents of the letter, a smile came to his lips and he chuckled.

" _Just_ like her mother! I knew it! She's _certainly_ Kotoko's daughter."

"What do you mean?" Anne-Sophie asked.

"Years ago, after my last visit to Ichio, Kotoko and I had discussed an alliance between Ichio and Alsance. Of course, with her unfortunate and untimely passing, those discussions were put on hold. Yet more than ten years later, her daughter writes to me with the same request!"

Yuzuru held up the letter, still laughing. "We may not have had news from our son, but this is _quite_ informative. I think I understand the situation now. I hope Tamaki has learned enough in his time as king to keep up with her! You know, I think I have some of Kotoko's letters still. I suppose I could send those back to her to explain where we left off."

By this time, Anne-Sophie had picked up a second page of Ryoji's letter. She let out a small gasp. "Oh dear."

"What? Bad news?" Yuzuru asked.

"Ryoji has inquired about your son," Anne-Sophie stated.

At that, Yuzuru cringed.

This was going to take some _very_ careful maneuvering.

#

Two days and twelve drafts of the same letter later, Yuzuru still had not managed a response to Ryoji.

"Confound it!" Yuzuru cried. He pounded one fist on his writing desk, which sent papers flying and nearly upset the inkwell.

He looked to Anne-Sophie with a helpless shrug. They had been in the monarchs' chambers for hours now.

"I simply can't think of an adequate response," Yuzuru said. "Any attempt I make would open up questions! If I say Tamaki is abroad, Ryoji will want to know where. If I say that Tamaki was crowned almost two years earlier, Ryoji will inquire if he has married. There's simply no good way to answer!"

"Calm down," Anne-Sophie said. "I'm sure we'll think of something."

Yuzuru slumped. "It will probably take a miracle."

A knock came at the chamber door.

"Come in," Anne-Sophie called.

Shima, as proper as ever, entered and offered a curtsey. "Majesties, I'm afraid there are some matters that must be attended to. Someone made the mistake of unlocking the younger Majesty's chambers. Ana saw the empty interior and has been absolutely inconsolable ever since."

"Oh no. Not again." Anne-Sophie shook her head.

"Typically, another maid would be able to take over her duties, but Miko has also fallen to grief upon removing the cloth to dust His Majesty's portrait. It will be quite difficult for the staff to proceed with their duties with two of their members incapacitated," Shima reported. "Especially considering that they are all, in one way or another, saddened by His Majesty's continued absence."

Yuzuru didn't look up from his letters. So, Anne-Sophie replied, "Well, perhaps see if someone could come in temporarily on such short notice. I know it's an inconvenience, but it sounds as if it's necessary."

"Very good, Majesty."

However, Shima didn't exit the chambers as Yuzuru expected. Instead, she hovered nearby.

"What is it, Shima? Is there more bad news?" Yuzuru asked.

"No Majesty. But might I comment that both of Your Majesties seem quite…distracted."

At that, Yuzuru raised his head to look straight at Shima. She had been the one to handle all of Tamaki's education when he came to the castle. And when his grandmother had shunned him and his mother had been busy with court duties, Shima had taken on the role of caretaker. Yuzuru hated to admit it, but of anyone in the castle, Shima likely knew Tamaki best. And that knowledge might be just what they needed.

"You're absolutely correct, Shima. I have a very important matter that I must handle, but unfortunately, I find myself unable to do so. Could I ask your advice on the matter?"

Shima blinked, but this was the only sign of surprise that showed on her stern face. "Of course, Majesty."

At Anne-Sophie's invitation, Shima took a seat and Yuzuru related the circumstances surrounding Tamaki's journey to Ichio. How Tamaki had travelled there as a commoner since the princess refused royal suitors. How they all hoped Tamaki would win her favor. Then, Yuzuru explained Ryoji's letter and the problems that plagued his potential responses.

Throughout it all, Shima merely nodded slowly. When Yuzuru finished, she folded her hands in her lap. After a brief moment of silence, she looked up with the slightest hint of a smile.

"Majesty, I believe I know exactly how you should respond."

* * *

Due to the schedule change, there will not be a preview of the next chapter. I couldn't leave you guys with a cliffhanger for that long! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and will see you in May!


	77. Chapter 76: The Merchant's Son

Hi everyone!

I hope you've all been doing well! It's great to finally be back posting! As usual, we have review responses up first!

 **jess . firework:** Fantastic! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story so far. Personally, I'd love to write a flashback chapter on Tamaki's coronation, so I will definitely make sure to add that to my list of topics! As for expanding on Tamaki and Haruhi's relationship, I think you'll enjoy the next few chapters! Thank you for the review!

 **Penstar1331** : It's great to hear from you again! Your idea about a male version of Éclair is very intriguing! Thank you so much!

 **Amarenima Redwood** : Thank you very much!

Now, for this post, the Reader Wishlist and reader question will be on hiatus. This is simply to give me a bit of time to work back into the swing of things. But they should be back soon!

In regards to the schedule: as June is coming up, I am involved in yet another prep month for Camp Nano in July. Because of this, I'm going to lengthen out the posting schedule a bit rather than declaring another hiatus. Hopefully, this will allow me to get solidly ahead of the schedule and ensure that the chapters are up to par for June and July. So, posts will be every two weeks until further notice is given. As such, our next chapter will be posted on **Monday after next!** Thank you all for your patience with these changes!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a certain king contemplates his circumstances.

* * *

To the surprise of everyone, Hikaru offered a sincere apology to Arai the day after the incident at the Festival of Remembrance. The traveling bard had gladly accepted and the two even seemed to bond over a shared talent for crafting rather crude limericks.

Tamaki observed this peace with relief. He hated instability and strife in general, but he loathed it even more so when it occurred among his friends. Now, he could be content.

Or so he thought.

As he watched his troupe over the following days, a nagging uneasiness still tugged at him. All was as it should be—the twins entertained the court ladies in the afternoon with juggling and acrobatics, Honey and Reiko strolled along the shady garden paths together with nothing but smiles, Mori mock-sparred with Satoshi and Chika and Kyoya could usually be found in the company of Mei and Haruhi, discussing books or other intellectual matters.

All was as it should be.

But he certainly didn't feel like it.

Some days, it felt like the entire castle had closed in. That the alleys of the city had shrunk even further so that the buildings loomed over him. The cheers of the crowds in the court and in the town after the troupe's performances did little to lift his spirits. Fortunately, no one noticed but Reiko—who slipped him a potion to "help ease his sleep." Tamaki hadn't touched it. It would be like admitting defeat to the anxious creature that gnawed at the back of his mind.

One day, he arose just after dawn. He tugged on his riding boots and strode off towards the stables.

Even this early, Mori had still managed to beat him out to the stables. The taciturn guard captain led Tamaki's steed from the stall. The stallion was already saddled.

Tamaki gaped. "How did you—"

Mori handed over the reins with the slightest hint of a smile. "I had a feeling."

Tamaki laughed and clapped Mori on the shoulder once before leading his horse from the stable.

Once out in the open, Tamaki swung astride his horse and rode. He rode with the kind of wild reckless abandon that always set his mother worrying and his father fussing. The wind whipped past his face as he leaned low over the saddle. His horse streaked over rolling green pastures, practically flying with an untiring gait. Tamaki tightened his grip on the reins with a smile of slight triumph. Maybe if he rode fast enough, he'd outrun the unease.

He finally brought his steed to rest at the edge of a small lake. The crystal blue water gleamed and flashed in the morning sun. When he looked back over his shoulder, Shikanai's castle seemed like a toy set upon a tall hill. He hadn't meant to come this far, but…he gazed back at the water.

Tamaki hopped down from his horse and stripped his tunic, tossing it away with his boots before diving into the water. He surfaced with a gasp, surprised at the chill the water still held even in the midst of spring. But he quickly became accustomed to the temperature and swam about freely. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine he was a boy again. A boy with no cares but enjoying the warm sun and water of that little seaside town called Caldeaux.

 _A king must never be seen publicly in a state of undress_ Advice from Shima from what seemed like years ago came back to him. He grinned to himself. Swimming about like this without a reason? Shima might have excused his impropriety when he saved Tetsuya but she would be absolutely scandalized if she could see him now.

As Tamaki swam, he gradually worked out what had been causing his uneasiness.

Stagnation.

That sense of being weighted down with the same worries, day after day, and not being able to do a thing _about_ them. If he told the truth, he was terrified of it. That fear had been the reason why he had worked so tirelessly as king in Alsance. If he kept himself busy enough, if he simply took on enough projects, he'd never feel the creeping stale grasp of that fear.

Tamaki rolled over onto his back and stared at the puffy white clouds above him as he thought. Despite that fear, here he was, with a single task at hand and a princess he could not seem to woo. Their interactions had been friendly, of course. But each time he brought himself to the brink of working towards anything _beyond_ that, something seemed to get in the way. He lied to himself, saying that the most recent obstacle had been due to Hikaru's war with Arai.

He knew it was a falsehood. He had had plenty of chances to approach Haruhi. And he had tried! For the sake of his court, for all of those relying on him, he had tried to do his duty. Yet it seemed as if each time he attempted to approach her, his throat began to close up and the smooth words he would have normally offered got tangled on his tongue. And if that didn't happen, an abrupt image of that moment on the balcony the night of the birthday ball—that accidental kiss—entered his mind unbidden and set him silent with the strongest urge to squirm out of his skin. Even in his dreams, he made an idiot out of himself in front of her. If this was love, Tamaki had no idea why so many people made so much of it.

Could all of this be a sign that something was wrong? Surely love was something that was simple. That came easily. Naturally. His father had regaled him with tales of courting his mother, how they had laughed and smiled and joked together. There were no tales of stumbling and bumbling about like a fool. And _Arlecchino's_ buffoonery was nothing compared to the foolishness Tamaki had committed during his attempts at wooing Haruhi.

Maybe he should give up. Surrender and walk away. But the thought of returning to Alsance as a failure…The thought of all of this time being a waste. It made him sick.

And the thought of leaving Haruhi before even having a _chance_ to court her (even if that chance resulted in rejection) made him more ill.

Then he would simply have to forge on, stumble if necessary. Perhaps she would find his foolishness charming. Perhaps she would—

"Tamaki? Is that you?"

Tamaki glanced over sharply to the lake shore, stifled a shriek of dismay and panicked in an attempt to make himself presentable.

Shima's voice echoed in his head with triumph. _A king must never be seen publicly in a state of undress_. Why hadn't he listened to her?

He reddened as he treaded water and faced his visitor. "Ha—Haruhi. You surprised me!"

Haruhi dismounted from her steed and came closer to the lake's edge, curiosity shining in her eyes. She was wearing her commoner's clothes with her hair tucked neatly under her cap. "I had no idea you could swim."

Tamaki shrugged—he was used to that kind of reaction by now. Swimming was likely considered as novel of an ability here in Ichio as it was in Alsance. "Well, I had to learn. I grew up on the seaside."

"Wasn't learning dangerous?" Haruhi asked.

"It was actually more dangerous if you _didn't_ learn," Tamaki admitted.

Haruhi kicked off her shoes and sat on the raised edge of the lake, her feet dangling into the water. "That's an odd way of thinking of it, but I understand what you mean."

"I'm surprised that you're so surprised! Surely you know how to swim as well—with a river and a lake this close to the castle."

"I can swim a bit. But I don't really enjoy it."

Tamaki swam to the edge and leaned against it. "Then perhaps you haven't been swimming with the right people!"

Haruhi laughed a bit. "Maybe I haven't."

Tamaki wanted to offer some clever reply. But every phrase lodged in his throat. _Not again_.

Luckily, Haruhi saved him from an all-consuming awkward silence. "What was the town called where you grew up?"

"Ah—Cadeaux," Tamaki replied.

"Where was it?"

"On the southern coast of Alsance."

"Did you like living there?"

"I did. I'm sure my mother wished the place had been a bit bigger, but I enjoyed every second we spent there."

"How long did you live there?"

Now, he was starting to feel puzzled. Where had all of these questions come from? "Twelve years."

"Why did you move?"

At that, Tamaki went silent. He had rehearsed his "backstory" thoroughly. But not once had he stopped to consider that question. And what answer could he possibly offer? What equivalent could he give for leaving home to become a prince?

Haruhi apparently interpreted this as dismay and abruptly said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry—"

Tamaki waved a hand. "You're not prying. It's just that…that time isn't exactly easy for me to explain. Things were…complicated when we moved from Caldeaux and I wasn't exactly old enough to be told why at the time."

"Oh."

"But I _do_ have to wonder where this sudden burst of questions came from," Tamaki said.

"Well, it just hit me the other day when I was talking to Kyoya. You've been here for months now, yet I hardly know anything about you. And you're the only one in the troupe that I know so little about."

For once, Tamaki saw a golden opportunity and managed to spin silver words to match. "Then princess, I am at your service and would be happy to remedy that, provided you have time today."

Joy washed over him as a slight smile came to her lips. "Okay then—as long as you don't mind the questions."

"Not at all! But might I ask one small favor?"

"What?"

Tamaki nodded towards his discarded tunic and riding boots. "Might I be allowed to repair my state of undress in private?"

Haruhi flushed. "Oh, yeah. Of course."

She led her horse to a tree and faced away from the lake. After an undignified fight to climb the edge of the lake, Tamaki put on his tunic and boots and joined her.

As they talked, they rode into the shade of the forest. Tamaki related his tale of being a wealthy merchant's son. It had been the closest parallel to being the son of a king that he could come up with. And it at least allowed him to work in some half-truths. Throughout it all, Haruhi listened, nodding and asking the occasional question. Yet when Tamaki touched on the subject of his grandmother...

"So your grandmother wasn't fond of you?" Haruhi asked, the surprise evident in her voice.

"Well, no, not at first. She didn't think I would be a suitable head for the company after my father. But she eventually came around—I suppose it's because I was always willing to listen to her counsel," Tamaki explained.

"If your father gave you control of the company, then who is taking care of things now?"

"My father—he agreed to step in as the temporary head of the company."

"And he simply agreed to let you travel for a year?"

"He knew it's always been my dream to travel the world. He said that he wanted me to go while I was still young—before I had too many responsibilities," Tamaki said.

Haruhi nodded slowly. "That's very kind of him."

"It was. I've been very lucky to have such an understanding family."

They rode along in silence for a few minutes more. Haruhi cleared her throat. "But what about—"

A deafening snap cracked out and a branch came crashing down before Tamaki's horse. The stallion shrieked and reared as Tamaki scrambled to secure his grasp on the reins. His hands slipped.

"Tamaki!" Haruhi cried.

But he was already falling.

He hit the ground with a sickening crack and an electric pain shot through his shoulder. He bit back a cry. His horse bolted further away into the woods as he sat up, clenching his shoulder with his other hand.

Haruhi jumped from her horse and was beside him in an instant. "Are you hurt anywhere beside your shoulder?"

Tamaki shook his head, gritting his teeth against the pain. "Just there."

"Do you think you can walk?"

Tamaki nodded and started to stand. Before he could falter, Haruhi knelt next to him. "Put an arm around my shoulders. I can help you up."

So Tamaki did as he was asked, trying to ignore just how close they were as Haruhi helped him to his feet. She then whisked a scrap of cloth from her saddlebag and formed a sling. As she started to secure his arm, she said, "You probably won't be able to ride—but the walk won't be far from here. Just put your good hand on the saddle in case you trip on a root or something."

"Right." He swallowed, focusing on a branch somewhere behind her rather than focusing _on_ her. But this task became even more difficult as she reached up on either side of him and tied the makeshift sling about his neck.

"There. I think that should help until we get back to the castle. Does it feel okay?" she asked.

Tamaki managed a weak smile. "I suppose as good as it can, considering the circumstances."

As they picked over the branch and headed back to the castle, Tamaki could only marvel at the calm competence she had shown in the aftermath of such an accident. He would have been half-crazed with panic and probably would have made things worse. He considered her back as she walked ahead of him, leading the horse.

She made an admirable princess.

And one day, she'd make an even more admirable queen.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Tetsuya overheard them, laughing in the pub over it," Kasanoda declared.**_

 _ **An abrupt darkness bloomed in Honey's expression. Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged anxious glances.**_

 _ **"Where are they?" Honey growled.**_

 _ **Kasanoda swallowed and took a step back. "Uh…Um…Tetsuya can tell you. Come with me."**_

Who could possibly have sparked Honey's anger in such a way? Check back **Monday after next** to find out!


	78. Chapter 77: A Certain Morbid Streak

Hi everyone!

I hope you've all been doing well! Review responses are up first as usual!

 **Amarenima Redwood:** Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

 **Penstar1331** : Thank you very much! As for Haruhi realizing her feelings...well, you'll see!

 **lillyannp:** Thank you! I wanted to make sure that I recapped enough after such a long break so it's great to hear you enjoyed it!

 **panda808:** I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I would love to comment on your predictions, but I'm not sure I can respond without spoilers. XD It's great to hear from you again!

 **StarFish 11** : I laughed a good bit at both of these comments. All I can say is it comes from having a strict inner editor and doing a lot of typing! I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

The Reader Wishlist and reader question are on hiatus for now, but will be back soon!

In continuation with the two week schedule for Camp Nano Prep/Camp Nano, the next post will be **Monday after next!**

Now, onto the next chapter-in which a certain individual displays a distinctly morbid streak!

* * *

When the troupe opened the courtyard to entertain early that afternoon, it started like any other day.

Save for Tamaki's conspicuous absence.

The members of the troupe shrugged it off, assuming that their leader had gotten caught up talking to some of the staff and would be in soon. They all failed to notice the rather concerned expression that crossed Mori's face when one of the ladies remarked upon Tamaki's absence.

As the afternoon continued, the taciturn performer grew more and more restless—shifting in his seat, tapping his fingers and glancing up sharply each time someone entered the courtyard. Finally, Mori sprang from his seat, excused himself and exited the courtyard. Only the keenest observer would have noticed the increase in the tempo of his steps.

Naturally, such behavior caught Honey's attention. Occasionally, Honey looked up from his entertainment of Reiko and a few court ladies and craned his neck. Then, he shook his head as if to shake off rising questions and returned his attention to entertaining.

Until Mori practically flew back into the courtyard, made a beeline for Honey, then knelt to whisper something. Honey's eyes widened.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Mori replied with an emphatic nod.

The blonde's expression clouded, but he smiled at his guests. "Um, ladies, if you could excuse—"

Renge rushed into the courtyard, her skirts askew as if she had been running. She clutched at her chest with one hand and announced breathlessly:

"Tamaki's horse just returned to the castle without him!"

In the brief moment of dead silence that followed, Kyoya's gaze snapped over to Honey and Mori. Honey sighed as Mori bowed his head and smacked a palm to his forehead.

Then the barrage of questions began.

"What? His horse came back?" One courtier asked.

"Was he out riding this morning?" One of the court ladies continued.

"How long has he been gone?"

"Oh I hope he's not hurt!"

The courtyard quickly succumbed to panic over the fate of the beloved troupe leader. Some of the court ladies suggested a search party while others worked themselves to the verge of tears.

Reiko immediately withdrew a silver mirror from the pocket of her robes and began mumbling over it while gesturing over the glass. Kyoya began pulling spherical crystals from his pocket and tossing them away with furious mutters of "no" and "not that one." Hikaru and Kaoru seized on the idea of a search party and divided willing participants into North, East, South and West teams.

Kyoya finally pulled a crystal from his pocket and gazed into it. Just as he did, an image appeared in Reiko's mirror. The illusionist and sorceress let out relieved sighs in unison.

"He is safe," Reiko declared, holding up the mirror to Honey and Mori. The image within showed Tamaki leaning on a horse as he walked into the eastern castle gate. Yet Honey immediately latched onto the first thing wrong with the picture.

"Why is his arm in a sling? Is he hurt?"

Kyoya seemed to have noticed this detail as well. His words came out clipped as he announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, everything is fine. Tamaki has just returned to the castle. There's no need for panic or a search party. Now, if you'll excuse all of us, we need to check on him."

And with that, the troupe members, Reiko and Renge sprinted for the eastern castle gate.

When they arrived, they found their leader putting an arm around the shoulders of a young man. A young man, who at second glance, was revealed to be Haruhi.

"Highness! How on earth—" Renge began.

But Haruhi was already helping Tamaki limp towards the door to the interior of the castle. "We ran into each other at the lake then went riding in the woods. Tamaki's horse got spooked and threw him when a branch fell."

"I'm fine!" Tamaki offered with a weak sunny smile to his troupe. "It's just my shoulder!"

"And your ankle," Haruhi muttered. "Why didn't you tell me when we started out?"

"Well, I suppose I didn't realize how sore it was until we walked all that way," Tamaki replied with a strained chuckle.

Haruhi looked back over her shoulder to the gaping troupe members. "Don't worry—Misuzu can help patch him up. He's going to be fine."

The troupe members barely had time to respond before Haruhi had helped Tamaki into the castle.

"She's…remarkably efficient," Reiko commented.

"So a branch falling spooked milord's horse?" Hikaru asked. "It must have been quite a big branch."

"Yeah, I always thought milord's steed couldn't be spooked—he's too calm," Kaoru added.

"That is unusual," Mori, who had the most familiarity with the stallion, admitted.

The troupe members returned to the Spy's Courtyard and calmed their guests. Everyone was assured that the troupe's leader would be fine. Some of the court had caught sight of a young man helping Tamaki down the hall. When quizzed on who this was, the troupe members smiled and said they had no idea.

The court quickly dispersed, leaving the troupe members to meander about the courtyard. They had learned from the experience with Kaoru's injury that Misuzu was not to be bothered when attending to the wounded. So the only choice they had was to wait for news.

News, however, came in a radically different form than they expected. Kasanoda hurried into the courtyard.

"I heard about Tamaki's injuries," he said. "They say it happened when he fell from his horse?"

"Yeah, Her Highness tells us that a branch fell and his horse spooked," Hikaru said.

Dismay crossed Kasanoda's face. "I was afraid you'd say that."

"Why?" Kyoya asked.

Kasanoda took a deep breath, then launched into his explanation. "Some of my men were out foraging in the forest a few days ago. They noticed that several large branches on the main paths through the forest had been sawed almost completely through. They assumed that some hunters had set traps of some sort. I didn't think anything about it when they told me. But today, when they reached the edge of the forest, they saw three figures running away from the lake and into the woods. Then Tetsuya came in from the city today…"

"And?" Renge prompted.

"Tetsuya said he saw the three girls from the Lobelia troupe in the pub earlier. That they were talking about having set some kind of trap. And…they were laughing because they had spooked someone's horse and that someone had been injured when the horse spooked."

"What?" Hikaru and Kaoru chorused. "You mean _they_ did that?"

But the enraged responses were nothing compared to the abrupt darkness that bloomed in Honey's expression.

His growl cut through the chatter. "Where are they?"

The other troupe members exchanged an anxious glance.

Kasanoda swallowed and took a step back. "Uh…Um…Tetsuya can tell you. Come with me."

The bandit-turned-gardener led them to a small yard outside of the kitchens. Tetsuya confirmed Kasanoda's explanation.

"They've set up their wagon in the main square," Tetsuya said.

To the surprise of the others, Honey marched off.

"Honey, what are you doing?" Renge asked.

"I'm going to go talk to the ladies of the Lobelia troupe."

The rest of the troupe, Renge and Reiko had no choice but to follow. Voices floated out from the Lobelia troupe's wagon as they approached.

"I can't believe our luck! Here I was thinking that we would need to lure the young king out of the castle," Hinagiku giggled.

"Who would have thought he would walk right into our trap?" Suzuran said.

"Now now ladies," Benibara cut in. "We can't rest on our laurels. After all, we do need to add insult to injury."

Honey's hands balled into fists as he stood in front of the wagon. He barked: "Benibara!"

Benibara, Suzuran and Hinagiku poked their heads out from the wagon's curtain. Benibara smirked. "Ah, if it isn't the pathetic comedy troupe."

"We know what you did," Honey snarled.

"And what of it?" Suzuran asked as the trio strolled down the wagon steps.

"You hurt milord," Hikaru said. "We're not just going to let you get away with that!"

"Oh please," Benibara muttered. "I'm sure Alsance's kingling can take a fall from a horse."

The slow smile that stretched across Honey's face was terrifying to those that knew him.

"So you admit that you know Majesty's true identity?" he asked.

"Of course! Which, by the way, unless you're willing to pay a certain price, won't be secret much longer," Hinagiku chimed in gleefully.

Honey's smile widened and the other troupe members resisted the urge to take a step back.

"Excellent. I could now have you on at least three charges," Honey said.

Benibara raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"As you have all three admitted to knowing Majesty's true identity, you have knowingly sought out to do damage to a monarch. By Alsance's law, as long as a certain party with knowledge of the monarch's identity seeks to do that monarch harm, they can be brought back to Alsance and charged," Honey said.

The three members of the Lobelia troupe paled slightly.

Honey continued, "In the first place, you could be charged with conspiracy against the crown. Second, as you set a physical trap that did injury to the king, you have actively harmed the crown—another charge. Third, it could be argued due to your malicious intent that you sought to do much more than injure the king."

"Wha—what? But we wouldn't do that!" Hinagiku protested.

"The law of Alsance won't see it that way," Honey replied. "By my estimation, you three could be locked in the dungeons for the rest of your lives."

Benibara, Suzuran and Hinagiku swallowed in unison as the others simply stared.

"And, if that's not enough, it could be brought to King Ryoji's attention that his daughter's life could have been under threat instead of the life of a simple troupe actor," Honey said. "I'm sure there would be a _decidedly_ negative response to that."

Benibara seemed to gather her courage and snapped, "You couldn't prove any of it!"

"I was once the head of the King's Royal Guard. He," Honey jerked a thumb back towards Mori. " _Is_ the head of the King's Royal Guard. Both of us can tell you that we wouldn't need to prove it."

The Lobelia troupe went silent.

"Now, I'm willing to make all three of you a deal," Honey said. "We can consider all of this a silly accident that nothing will ever come of. But—"

Honey paused to survey the Lobelia troupe. "In return, you will cease your plotting against us, leave this city immediately and _never_ come near or plot against His Majesty again. Is this agreeable?"

"Yes!" Benibara, Suzuran and Hinagiku chorused. "Absolutely! We'll leave right away!"

Honey offered a bright smile. "Good choice. I'll leave you three to pack."

Honey turned on his heel and sauntered away from the wagon, passing the open-mouthed stares of the rest of the troupe. The other performers followed him in shocked silence.

Once they were out of view of the Lobelia troupe's wagon, Honey slumped against an alley wall with a long sigh. Reiko went to his side and put an arm around him.

"You need to go to the castle and rest. Your morbid streak is showing. Come with me," she said.

Honey nodded and allowed her to lead him down the alley.

The rest of the troupe hung behind in stunned silence.

"Well," Kyoya said finally. "I suppose that explains why he was captain of the Royal Guard. And why Tamaki had him swap positions with Mori."

"What do you mean?" Hikaru asked.

"Honey was captain of the Royal Guard before Tamaki was crowned. Shortly after the coronation, Tamaki asked Mori to swap positions with Honey so Honey became the Head Instructor for the Guard. I believe Tamaki thought the position of captain made Honey unhappy. After all, a captain would have to consider all threats to the crown. Right Mori?"

"Yes," Mori replied.

"And if Honey is naturally predisposed to being a touch morbid, anything might be considered a threat," Kyoya added.

"But…but _Honey?"_ Kaoru echoed. "The same person that loves sweets and stuffed toys?"

"If you think about it, the obsession with all things cute and sweet is probably a coping mechanism. Escapism, one might say," Kyoya said.

As this realization sank in, the others shook their heads. "That's unbelievable," Renge murmured.

"Honey's disposition aside, what's more unbelievable is that the Lobelia Troupe would have been prompted to such action on their own. Especially something this complex." Kyoya pulled a red spherical crystal from his pocket. "But I believe I know who might have been the true mastermind behind this plot."

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Would you quit cringing and hold still?" Haruhi demanded.**_

 _ **"But it stings!" Tamaki whined.**_

 _ **"Do you want it to sting now or be inflamed later?" Haruhi asked.**_

 _ **Tamaki sighed and offered his good arm to her. She began dabbing at the scratches with a cloth soaked in astringent.**_

Looks like Haruhi has ended up taking over Misuzu's nursing duties. What could come of this? Check back Monday after next to find out!


	79. Chapter 78: Slings and Revelations

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **panda808:** I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I miiiight have been channeling that scene from Beauty and the Beast when I wrote that excerpt. And yes, Tamaki is DEFINITELY much more of a crybaby.

 **lillyannp** : Thank you! Honey absolutely took a line from Kyoya's book-perhaps it's...in the blood?

 **LikingRiver447:** I'm so happy to hear that you're enjoying the story! I really appreciate all of the reviews and will definitely keep your suggestions in mind!

 **suicune4ever** : Thank you so much! It's always a huge compliment to hear that new readers went through the story quickly and enjoyed it! Tamaki hasn't been quite as dutiful as he needed to be, but there are some revelations coming that will hopefully kick him into gear soon! Thank you very much for the review!

 **ryuity** : Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! Thank you for the review!

 **Queen Rainbow** : It's great to hear from you again! Glad you're enjoying the story and thank you for the review!

I've decided to keep the reader wishlist and reader question on hiatus until the end of July (the end of Camp Nano.) However, you are still more than welcome to put forward ideas during the hiatus!

The next update will be **Monday after next (the second week of July)!**

Now, onto the next chapter-in which Haruhi must play nurse to a quite whiny patient!

* * *

"Would you quit cringing and hold still?" Haruhi demanded.

"But it stings!" Tamaki whined.

"Do you want it to sting now or be inflamed later?" Haruhi asked.

Tamaki sighed and offered his good arm to her. She began dabbing at the scratches with a cloth soaked in astringent.

"No wonder Misuzu says you're the worst patient he's ever had," Haruhi muttered as Tamaki continued to cringe at each touch of the cloth.

Once Tamaki had reached the room Misuzu used as an infirmary, the queen's primary advisor had been able to set Tamaki's shoulder appropriately and placed it in a proper sling. Yet as Misuzu was in the midst of wrapping bandages about Tamaki's ankle to secure the splint properly, a footman popped into the room and announce that the pastry chef was on the verge of quitting if Misuzu did not see him _this instant_. Misuzu had cast a dark look at the footman, forcing the man to shrink back to the door. But with a sigh, Misuzu had asked Haruhi to take over nursing duties. The princess agreed and Misuzu had gone to attend to the fretful chef.

"Misuzu never said that!" Tamaki protested.

"He said you were a worse patient than Kazukiyo. And Kazukiyo has always been considered the worst sick person in the court," Haruhi replied.

Tamaki harrumphed turned away from her. Haruhi continued tending to his wounds, trying to restrain a smile. It was a bit like dealing with Kirimi during a bout of pouting. Haruhi wondered if the troupe's leader would be as quick to forget an insult to his pride.

It didn't take long. As she went to wrap bandages about some of the worst cuts, she found him staring at her work intently.

"You're an excellent nurse," he commented. "You seem so sure of yourself."

"Well, I've been doing this since Misuzu trusted me with bandages and before that, I always helped him. And my mother too," Haruhi explained.

"Your mother?" Tamaki echoed.

"Yeah. She was amazing with this kind of thing. She actually taught Misuzu how to do a lot. Except for sewing up wounds—Misuzu was better with thread and had to teach her that. I remember that when anyone got hurt in the castle, they came to Mom first." Haruhi concentrated on continuing with the bandages. She needed to focus on the here and now. Not on the past.

"She sounds like she was an amazing woman," Tamaki offered.

"She was."

Silence pervaded for a moment. Haruhi stared at the bandages. Even pressure. Not too tight. Not too loose.

Tamaki cleared his throat. "My mom was always sick when I was young."

"Huh?"

"When I was a child, my mother was always very sick. I always used to try to cheer her up by acting out silly scenes or playing the harpsichord for her."

"You play the harpsichord?"

"I used to, yes. But I'm afraid I'd be horribly rusty now. Whenever my father handed over control of the company to me, it became harder and harder to find time to keep up with my practice," Tamaki said.

She nodded slowly as Tamaki began rambling. "I know—I know it's not the same. It may to even be close. But it's just…We went through some scary times with my mother. Times that we weren't sure if she would be with us. I remember how hard that was. It still makes me sad to think about those times. I can't imagine what that would actually be like…to lose someone. And I'm so sorry. I know it still has to hurt."

Haruhi looked up from her work at that. From where she stood, she couldn't help but focus on his face.

When her mother had passed, the court members had been there to comfort her. They all said how sorry they were for the loss of the queen. Her sadness, her father's grief and the court's melancholy had all mixed indistinguishably. Yet as time wore on, the subject became mentioned less and less. The occasional sad look might creep into a courtier's eye when the queen was mentioned, things might be a bit more quiet on Kotoko's birthday, but no one ever talked about her passing. Haruhi hadn't discussed it in depth with anyone in years—not even her father. She had learned to pack the grief away in a mental box and cap it tightly.

Yet here was a person—a stranger to the late queen—stating his sympathy with complete sincerity. He might have even been on the verge of tears himself. And with this display of sudden vulnerability, Haruhi couldn't help but feel that he truly understood what she had been through.

After a moment of stunned silence, she managed, "I…Thank you."

It seemed like a trite response. But she couldn't think of anything else to say.

Tamaki swallowed and flushed. "Of course."

For a moment, they stared at each other. Finally, Tamaki looked away and didn't say anything more.

Haruhi returned to her work with the bandages, hardly daring to look back up at him. It hadn't bothered her before, but suddenly she could only think of how close they stood to each other. She shook off the thought and finished her work.

"There," she said as she tied the last bandage. "I think you should be patched up now. Let me help you up."

Again, he put one arm around her shoulders and she helped him stand from the chaise. He leaned a bit of his weight onto the injured ankle.

"I doubt I'll be able to walk much on it, but that feels much better," he admitted. "I'll have to thank Misuzu for his help."

"He'll be glad to have someone appreciate his work," Haruhi said.

"And of course, I couldn't go without thanking you for your work!" Tamaki beamed. After a bit of fiddling with the sling, he twisted his hands to produce a rose.

Which, to Haruhi's surprise, was red.

She cocked her head to one side. "That's strange. Aren't they usually white?"

When Tamaki didn't reply, she glanced up at him. "Aren't they?"

Tamaki's lips moved wordlessly for a brief second. Then a strange sort of smile crossed his face. "It—it must be because of my shoulder. I must have altered the movement!"

"Oh. I suppose that makes sense," she said as she took the rose.

"Yes, yes, quite. Um, now, Highness—I mean—Haruhi, if you'd excuse me. I'm sure the troupe is anxious to see me."

Before Haruhi could reply, Tamaki had hobbled out of the room.

She stared at the door as it shut.

 _Well. That was odd._

#

When Tamaki didn't return to the Spy's Courtyard or the Great Hall later that afternoon, Kyoya decided to search for him. He had hunted through the library, the servants' quarters and even the kitchens, but the troupe's leader was nowhere to be found. Irked, Kyoya set off for the music rooms on the eastern end of the castle.

Yet halfway to his destination, he caught strains of a conversation. Immediately, he ducked into an alcove and peeked around the corner to see the speakers.

Reiko stood with Nekozawa some distance down the hall.

"Nekozawa, how long have you known me?" Reiko asked.

Nekozawa ducked his head like a guilty child. "Years."

"In that time, have I _ever_ led you astray?"

"Well, no but—"

"Please, trust me. Do you see how the court loves him?"

Kyoya raised an eyebrow. She couldn't possibly be referring to Tamaki.

"I do…"

"His court is the same way! What you see with him is the truth. There's no posturing. He _is_ that good of a person," Reiko continued.

So she _was_ talking about Tamaki. Kyoya had long suspected that _someone_ had let Nekozawa in on their little secret, but now he had confirmation. Yet what could she possibly need of the Duke?

Nekozawa sighed. "He doesn't seem to have a malicious streak."

"There's not a malicious bone in his body. Now will you help me? I have all of my cards on the table. I need to start seeing some of yours."

Then that was it. It was a trade for information.

Nekozawa nodded at last. "Very well. If there is any way I feel that I can help you from the princess's end of things, I will let you know."

Reiko's lips twitched into a smile. "Excellent. Thank you."

Kyoya ducked back into the corner as Reiko and Nekozawa parted ways. Reiko breezed past without so much as a glance around. There was no reason to pursue things now. After all, she was loyal to the king. It might be more useful to find what she could dig up.

As soon as he was certain both parties were gone, he exited the alcove and continued down the hall.

Kyoya found Tamaki in one of the music rooms. The troupe's leader sat slumped in an armchair as he stared blankly up at the ceiling.

"Tamaki, what are you doing in here?"

"Coming to terms with things," Tamaki replied absently.

"What do you mean? This had better not be some sort of melodramatics from your accident," the illusionist warned.

Without looking at Kyoya, Tamaki swirled his hands and produced a single red rose.

Kyoya's lips pressed together. "Hm. Is that all?"

Tamaki's head snapped up and he held up the rose. "Is _this all_?"

 _"_ Isn't that what you wanted when we arrived here?"

"Yes!" Tamaki exclaimed. He sobered. "But at the same time, now that it's happened…I don't know what to do! I can't seem to talk to her—I end up making a fool out of myself! And now, with this—"

Tamaki held up the rose. "There will be only more pressure!"

"I'm surprised you're having issues expressing your feelings. You're typically so self-aware and articulate those emotions quite well," Kyoya mused, digging at his king just a touch.

Tamaki made a face at him. "This isn't a joking matter. Kyoya, I'm lost!"

"Lost, you say?"

Kyoya turned to the door to see Renge…looming in it. The troupe's manager sauntered into the room, her eyes practically glowing.

"You say you have an issue with confessing your feelings to the princess?" she asked.

Tamaki nodded slowly. "Yes…"

The predatory grin at Renge's lips widened. "Fantastic—come with me!"

She hurriedly prodded Tamaki to his feet and rushed him out of the room, leaving Kyoya standing alone.

Abruptly, the illusionist's plans of announcing Yuko's involvement in the Lobelia Troupe's schemes vanished. He ran a hand over his face. Perhaps it was better if Tamaki didn't know.

After all, it hadn't been the first matter he had handled without his king's knowledge.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **"Renge, why is the room dark?" Tamaki asked.**_

 _ **"It's to activate your imagination! Now hush and concentrate!" Renge commanded.**_

 _ **Tamaki sighed. "And you're certain this kind of thing will help me?"**_

 _ **"Absolutely! Do you doubt me?"**_

What could the troupe's manager have in mind for poor Tamaki? Check back **Monday after next** to find out!


	80. Chapter 79: The Power of Imagination

Hi everyone!

Hope you've all been doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **LikingRiver447:** Thank you so much! So glad you've enjoyed the chapter!

 **lillyannp:** Well, I can't say just yet, but you do know my love for parallels to the original material! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Unfortunately, as my Camp Nano project has turned from a tractable beast into a devious creature intent on taking over every bit of my free time, there will need to be a slight alteration to the schedule. The next update will be on **August 3rd** , which means there will be a three and a half week break rather than two weeks. My apologies for the change-but I am afraid that sticking to a two week schedule might be stretching things a bit too thin. However, I promise I will try to make the next chapter worth the wait!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which Tamaki must use his imagination!

* * *

After sweeping Tamaki out of the music room, Renge hurried about in a mad dash, gathering seemingly unrelated objects including a dress mannequin wearing a costume she had been designing for _Columbina_. She then took Tamaki to one of the empty parlors.

"There!" Renge exclaimed as she pulled the last of the curtains shut. "That should do it."

Tamaki cast an uncertain gaze around the now darkened room.

"Um, Renge, why is the room dark?" Tamaki asked.

"It's to activate your imagination!"

"What exactly am I going to need my imagination for?" Tamaki asked.

"For practice," Renge said as she fluffed the skirt of the costume and draped a ribbon about the mannequin.

"Practice for…what?"

"You're going to act out your confession of your affections for the princess and I'm going to coach you, of course!" Renge declared.

Tamaki's mouth abruptly went dry and he swallowed. "I am?"

"Majesty, if you're having such a problem, don't you want help?" Renge asked, putting her hands on her hips.

Tamaki sighed. She was right—he did need all the help he could get. "But you're certain this can help?"

"Absolutely! All you have to do is imagine that this mannequin—" Renge spun the mannequin over to him. "Is the princess! Then, confess your feelings to her. You'll be able to practice and get things exactly right without worrying about messing things up."

The troupe's manager did have an excellent point. Perhaps this kind of practice could help. "That does seem like it could work!"

"That's the spirit! Now, imagine the princess," Renge encouraged as she stepped away from the mannequin.

Tamaki stared at the mannequin. After a moment, he saw Haruhi in his mind's eye.

She looked to him curiously and asked, "Well Tamaki, what is it?"

Instantly, Tamaki's mouth stopped working. He tried to force out _something_. After all, he offered pleasant phrases to the court ladies all the time! He should _at least_ be able to compliment the princess.

The Haruhi of his imagination gazed back at him. "Um, Tamaki—you're acting a bit strange. Are you feeling ill?"

That made him remember the moment in the infirmary. How close they had been.

And the red rose.

He spluttered, wrenching away from the mannequin as the vision shattered.

"Majesty! What happened?" Renge asked.

Tamaki sucked in a few deep breaths. "It…it went very badly."

Renge frowned. "Well, perhaps we can try to work on things."

And so they ran through the exercise over and over again. Renge told him to start small. To compliment the princess. Yet each time, Tamaki felt that the compliments came out weak and insincere.

Renge demonstrated how _she_ would go about performing such a confession. But her style was far more elaborate than Tamaki thought he could manage. Also, he was sure the princess wouldn't be impressed by that kind of confession.

Finally, Renge strode out of the room. She returned moments later with armfuls of books. She paged through each one, found specific quotes and instructed Tamaki to recite the quotes while imagining the princess.

This method helped a bit. Tamaki didn't feel quite as nauseous when he thought of Haruhi.

Renge latched onto this progress in an instant, throwing more and more books at him. She demanded that he experiment with different attitudes. To find one that fit.

It almost seemed that he was getting somewhere with all of this.

Until he suddenly couldn't conjure up a mental image of Haruhi.

He tried closing his eyes.

Still nothing.

Finally, he slumped. "Renge, I don't think I can do more today. I'm exhausted."

"Oh, sure you can!"

Tamaki shook his head and trudged over to a chair. This was an exercise in futility. Even if he could manage to quote bits and pieces of books to Haruhi, that didn't mean that he could actually confess his feelings. And she might know the quotes-wouldn't she think that he was being artificial?

He conjured up a rose and frowned at it. Things shouldn't be this complicated.

The door creaked open, throwing light into the darkened room. "Um, Renge, are you in here?"

Mei popped her head into the room and sighted Renge and Tamaki. A puzzled look passed over her face.

"What are you two doing in here?"

Tamaki scrambled for an explanation. He couldn't tell Mei even a half-truth. The lady-in-waiting could catch on all too quickly. If she realized that he had feelings for Haruhi—Tamaki cut that thought off. He didn't want to consider how Mei might react.

Luckily, Renge was quicker with an explanation. "I'm helping Tamaki rehearse for a play," she provided with a bright smile.

"You've never practiced in here…And in the dark? Besides, isn't that new dress we were working on for _Columbina_?" Mei cast a perplexed glance around.

"We're simply using the dress as a prop. Tamaki is having issues with a specific scene," Renge continued. "We thought that if he had privacy and the right ambience, he might be able to get into the emotional swing of things."

"Has it helped?" Mei asked.

"Unfortunately, not as much as I would like," Tamaki stated.

Mei ventured further into the room. "Well, what's the scene? Maybe I can help?"

And how on earth would they answer that question? Tamaki shot a hopeless glance to Renge.

But this time, the explanation was _not_ what he expected.

"It's a scene in which _Arlecchino_ confesses his love to _Columbina_ ," Renge said.

Tamaki bit back a shriek. He looked between Renge and the mannequin. Didn't she realize what she was doing? She'd arouse Mei's suspicions!

To his surprise, Mei laughed. "Oh, you've got to be kidding! How on earth are you going to get Haruhi to go along with that plot?"

Tamaki sighed with relief. Good, she thought it was just a play—

"We'll bring her around," Renge said. "After all, we've had a ton of fans requesting this kind of act. They're dying to see _Arlecchino_ truly confess his affections."

Tamaki's relief started to shift to anxiety. Renge was making too much out of this. They weren't actually going to put on a play.

Mei shook her head with another laugh. "If it's a for a play, then why is Tamaki having trouble? Don't you have a script?"

"Actually, I don't have lines written for this part. I wanted him to improvise," Renge replied.

"Surely you're not having an issue with that." Mei directed this comment to Tamaki. "You're always so suave. What makes this any different?"

Tamaki offered a weak shrug. "Well, it's a quite emotional scene and I'm finding it a touch difficult to find words that are in with keeping with _Arlecchino's_ character. He's typically such a jester that any seriousness just seems terribly off."

Mei's lips pursed. "Well, how long have you been practicing?"

"About an hour and a half," Tamaki said.

"That's your first problem, then! You're probably exhausted. Here, come with me. I'll make all three of us some tea and we'll bounce around some ideas," Mei said as she held the door open.

"You mean you're going to help us?" Tamaki asked. "Even though you're skeptical of Haruhi's role?"

"Sure. Besides, it might do her some good to perform something like this," Mei said with a mischievous smile.

They took to one of the smaller sitting rooms for their discussion.

Mei took a sip of her tea. "The first thing to keep in mind with a confession like this is _who_ you want _Arlecchino_ to do it for."

"What do you mean?" Tamaki asked.

"Well, there are people who are selfish with their love. They flatter and fawn because _they_ want the adoration from the object of their affection. Do you think _Arlecchino_ would be that type?" Mei asked.

"No! Absolutely not!" Tamaki exclaimed.

"That's what I would expect. So instead, his confession is going to need to be sincere. It will need to be about demonstrating his feelings, but not forcing his affections on _Columbina_. Perhaps he's worried that his feelings won't be returned, but he's kept them pent up for so long that he _must_ confess to her," Mei said.

Tamaki found himself nodding emphatically with her. "Yes! That would work."

"Mei, that's brilliant!" Renge cried. "That way, _Arlecchino's_ confession will be equal parts desperation and fear that he'll be rejected!"

Tamaki cringed at that thought just as someone asked, "Excuse me, did you just say _Arlecchino_ is making a confession?"

The trio glanced up to see Sumire standing in the doorway of the parlor, her hands clasped in concern.

" _Arlecchino_ won't be confessing to a crime, will he?" Sumire asked. "That would simply be terrible!"

"No, no," Mei said, waving a hand. "We're discussing an act in which _Arlecchino_ confesses his love to _Columbina!"_

Sumire let out a shriek of delight. "Oh my goodness! That is wonderful news! And you're working on the scene now?"

Mei nodded. "If you'd like to help us, you're more than welcome to."

At that invitation, Sumire hurried over and drew up a chair. "I'd _love_ to!"

They started to work on the scene with Sumire offering occasional interjections of what she'd like to see from _Arlecchino's_ confession.

"It'd be lovely if he could confess how afraid he was that she wouldn't love him in return," Sumire sighed.

"What's this about a confession?" Another voice asked.

Ayame stood in the door of the parlor, looking a bit curious.

"Oh! Ayame! We're working on a scene in which _Arlecchino_ confesses his love to _Columbina_!" Sumire exclaimed. "Would you like to join us?"

Ayame immediately strode over and took a seat on the couch. "I'll try to help where I can."

Tamaki exchanged a concerned look with Renge. Surely they would be the only two others to join them.

Yet soon enough, more and more of the court ladies began to filter into the parlor. Each joined the group upon an invitation from one of her friends.

Finally, Renge, Mei and Tamaki sat amidst a flock of the court ladies, all exclaiming over their excitement for the confession scene and offering their advice on how the scene should go.

Tamaki quickly recognized that this was _not_ simply going to be practice for his confession to Haruhi.

Instead, it would be a very public play.

He was doomed.

Completely and utterly doomed.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Hikaru and Kaoru's heads cocked to one side.**_

 _ **"What's all this about a confession?" Kaoru asked.**_

 _ **"You didn't hear?" Sumire asked. "Arlecchino will be confessing his love to Columbina in the next act!"**_

 _ **Hikaru blanched. "What?"  
**_

Oh dear, looks like a certain green eyed monster may have gotten a hold of Hikaru! What could come of this? Check back **August 3rd** to find out!


	81. Chapter 80: Hikaru's Realization

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **lillyannp:** Glad you enjoyed the chapter! And one green-eyed monster is coming right up!

For reasons that will be discussed below, the reader question and Reader Wishlist are going to be on hiatus for a bit longer.

Unfortunately, there is an approaching change in the schedule. This fic will be going on hiatus soon. Between increased demands at work and some ramped up plans for my personal projects (as well as the looming approach of Prep-tober/NaNoPlanMo and NaNoWriMo), I'm afraid that I won't have time to give this fic the attention it deserves over the next few months. Right now, I'm not sure how long the hiatus will be, but I'm estimating between three to six months.

However, I want to bring things to a "natural" pause point so that you guys aren't left with a cliffhanger. At the moment, I have two more chapters planned that will get us through the "confession play" completely, which should mean the last chapter before the hiatus will be cliff-hanger free. The next chapters will be spaced out at every two weeks so the schedule will look a bit like this:

 **Chapter 81: Will be posted August 17th**

 **Chapter 82: Will be posted August 31st**

After the 31st, the hiatus will begin. I will post updates every three months on the hiatus progress in an author's note at the beginning of chapter 82. As I said, I'm not sure exactly how long the hiatus will be, so these updates will give you guys a better idea of what to expect. Thank you all in advance for your patience!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which Hikaru has a revelation!

* * *

When Hikaru awoke the next morning, something seemed off. He cast a bemused gaze about the Great Hall. There was Kaoru beside him as usual, so that couldn't be what was wrong. He rubbed at one eye and counted the others in the hall. Then he squinted and counted again.

There were only five of them in the hall.

There should have been seven.

A loud yawn announced that Kaoru had woken up. Hikaru waited as Kaoru glanced around the room. Would he notice as well?

"Renge and milord are missing," Kaoru stated immediately.

"Where could they be? Do you remember seeing them last night?" Hikaru asked.

Kaoru shook his head.

The twins posed the same question to the other troupe members when they woke up.

No one remembered seeing Tamaki or Renge the evening before.

"Renge did drag Tamaki off for some reason, but that was mid-afternoon," Kyoya commented. "Surely they wouldn't be working on anything for an entire evening."

The mystified troupe members shrugged and readied themselves for the day. Surely answers would come to light eventually. The king couldn't have gotten far with his shoulder in a sling.

"Tama will turn up," Honey declared. "Maybe he just decided he wanted some time alone."

"Why?" Hikaru muttered. "He's never needed time alone before."

Honey smiled a bit, but didn't reply.

They meandered out into the castle and started through the daily motions of their mornings. But as they greeted the servants and courtiers on their way to breakfast, something _still_ seemed off. This strange feeling continued throughout breakfast.

"Something is going on this morning," Hikaru said as he finished his meal. "There's something…missing today."

"Not something. Someone," Mori corrected. "A lot of someones."

Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You haven't noticed? Have you seen a single court lady about this morning?" Kyoya asked.

Hikaru ran through the morning in his head. "I haven't."

Kyoya rose from his seat. "Taking that into consideration, I believe you're right Hikaru. There is something going on. And considering our missing leader, it's likely going to be some sort of an unpleasant surprise."

The rest of the troupe stared at each other with wide eyes. Instantly, the remains of breakfast were abandoned and they set out to find the court ladies.

All of the ladies' usual haunts were empty. They searched the courtyards, the library and even one of the smaller dining rooms to no avail. But soon, a chorus of giggles and low conversation led them to a parlor on the eastern side of the castle.

Every single one of the court ladies had gathered in this parlor. They sat about in groups, giggling and laughing. Crumpled pages were strewn all about the room. A rough canvas had been erected against one wall and a variety of pages had been pinned to this board.

"Oh I just can't wait!" One lady sighed. "This is going to be the best play ever!"

"I know! It's going to be beautiful!" her friend exclaimed.

The troupe members stared at this scene in puzzlement. Gradually, Honey and Mori made their way into the room, cautiously greeting the ladies. The twins hung back in the doorway to the parlor. Over and over, the phrase "new play" rose up.

"A new play? What are they talking about?" Kaoru asked.

Hikaru simply shook his head. As he did, he spotted Kyoya talking to one of the court ladies off to the side of the room. After a few moments, the illusionist's eyes widened, then narrowed. Kyoya offered a smile and nodded to the lady. The illusionist then strode out of the room.

"That doesn't look good," Kaoru muttered.

"Oh! Hikaru! Kaoru! You're up!"

The twins turned to see Sumire standing behind them with a tea tray. She smiled widely. "Have you come to see the ideas we have for the play?"

"Um, what new play?" Hikaru asked.

"Didn't Renge tell you?" Sumire asked.

The twins shook their heads.

"Goodness! She has been keeping it a secret! Come with me, we'll tell you everything," Sumire said.

They followed Sumire to another group of ladies scribbling eagerly into journals. The ladies glanced up from their work for the briefest of moments to smile and greet them before returning to their writing.

"Why is everyone writing all of this stuff?" Kaoru asked.

"Well, we're helping Renge with ideas for her newest play," Sumire said.

"It's going to be wonderful!" one of the court ladies cried.

"Um, what's it about?" Hikaru asked.

Sumire offered a sheepish smile. "Unfortunately, at the moment, all of that is a bit up in the air. We've been working all night trying to find the proper sequence of events. Renge said that we should simply write all of our ideas down and she would try to sort through them."

"Then everyone is fussing over a play that doesn't even have a plot?" Hikaru looked between his perplexed brother and Sumire in disbelief.

"It does have a plot! It's going to be called _Arlecchino's Confession!"_ one of the court ladies asserted. "It's going to be beautiful! I just cannot _wait_ to hear the confession scene!"

Several of the other ladies sighed in unison and clasped their hands.

Hikaru and Kaoru's heads cocked to one side.

"What's all this about a confession?" Kaoru asked.

"That's the plot. The play is going to be about _Arlecchino_ confessing his love to _Columbina,_ " Sumire offered with a bright smile.

Hikaru blanched. "What? You mean Renge wants to put on a _drama_?"

Sumire continued on, "Renge said she's had the idea for a while, but she wasn't sure if it would work out. She didn't want to mention it until it was finished but…"

Sumire swept a hand out to indicate the room. "You know how gossip travels in this castle."

Hikaru ground his teeth. "Yes. I do."

Pieces had all fallen into place. He spun about and stalked out of the parlor, ignoring the greetings of the court ladies.

Kaoru caught up with him before he was halfway down the next hall. "Hikaru, where are you going?"

"To find milord! I bet he had something to do with this," Hikaru growled. "Trying to sneak in a drama when we're only supposed to do comedies!"

Hushed voices from around the corner drew them down another hall leading towards the music rooms. The conversation grew louder as they approached.

"What do you think you're doing?" Kyoya hissed.

"Kyoya, you don't understand—this wasn't planned," Tamaki's voice replied in a whine.

Hikaru whipped around the next corner to see Kyoya, Renge and Tamaki standing outside one of the music rooms. "So you're not going to admit to being responsible for this play? I thought we agreed that our plays would be comedic, yet everyone is talking about a play about _Arlecchino_ confessing his love!"

Tamaki sighed and covered his face with one hand. "Please, let me explain. I promise this isn't even close to what it looks like."

Hikaru crossed his arms. "Then what's your explanation?"

Tamaki swallowed. "Well, recently, I've found that talking to Haruhi has become…difficult. It's made me quite uncomfortable. Fortunately, Renge believed she could help me."

Hikaru snorted. This was ridiculous. What on earth could the king be having an issue with? Just _talking—_ what could possibly be uncomfortable about that? But Kaoru's subtle elbow to his side kept him quiet.

"We were practicing yesterday afternoon, but Mei stopped by. Of course, if we had told her the truth, it could have compromised our identities—" Tamaki continued.

"It would have compromised everything," Renge cut in. "So I told Mei that we were rehearsing for a scene that Tamaki was having trouble with. When she asked what the scene was, the only explanation I could think of was _Arlecchino_ confessing his love to _Columbina_. Mei offered to help us with ideas. While we were thinking, one of the court ladies popped in. And then she invited a friend and that friend invited another friend—"

"Before we knew it, we were coming up with ideas for a whole play," Tamaki finished. "I know we said that we would keep things from sliding into any sort of dramatics, but—"

"But nothing!" Hikaru exclaimed. "This is outside of what we agreed. Since it is, we shouldn't do it."

"What about the court ladies?" Renge asked. "They all seem to want to see this play. We can't just let them down."

"They're usually not the ones that we perform for with _Columbina_ ," Hikaru snapped.

"Actually, it might not be a bad idea. While the play is outside of our typical plots, a switch in genre might attract new audience members," Kyoya noted.

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "Or drive the ones we have away!"

"Um, haven't you all forgotten an important point with this?" Kaoru asked.

"What?" Tamaki and Renge chorused.

"Have you asked Haruhi about it?"

Renge and Tamaki glanced at each other, mouths dropping open slightly.

"What do you need to ask me about?"

Hikaru tried not to grin as the color drained from Tamaki's face. The troupe's leader whirled about to face Haruhi, who had just come down the hall.

"Um, good—good morning, Haruhi!" Tamaki stammered. "We were just…just talking about—"

Haruhi looked to him expectantly.

After a moment of silence, Hikaru announced, "Tamaki and Renge have decided to put on a new play in which _Arlecchino_ declares his love to _Columbina._ "

Haruhi's eyes widened. " _What_?"

Renge immediately launched into an explanation. "Highness, I'm sorry—it wasn't supposed to turn out like this—"

Haruhi looked to Tamaki. "Did you even think about asking me before deciding to put something on like this?"

Tamaki's mouth opened and closed, but he didn't answer.

"See! Haruhi doesn't want to do it! If she doesn't want to do it, then we should call the whole thing off," Hikaru argued.

"But we've already said we would," Renge protested.

"To who? How? Who _ever_ thought this would be a good idea?" Haruhi exclaimed.

"I did." Mei's voice rang out with authority.

Haruhi looked to Mei, stunned, as the lady-in-waiting joined the group. "You thought this would be a good idea?"

"Renge told me about her idea yesterday. She and Tamaki were practicing for a dramatic scene because Tamaki wasn't sure that he could manage it. They didn't want to bother you about the idea of drama scene if he couldn't do it. So, I offered to help them with it," Mei said.

"Then how did a single scene turn into an entire play?" Haruhi asked.

"A few of the court ladies stopped by and asked what we were doing. When we told them about the scene, they all loved the idea. In fact, they loved it so much that they started giving us more and more ideas. Before we knew it, it was midnight and all of the court ladies wanted an entire dramatic play rather than a single scene."

Haruhi let out a breath and eyed Tamaki. "So you _were_ going to ask me about it before you did it?"

"Of course!" Tamaki exclaimed. "We never meant for things to get this far."

"And you're just fine with the idea of this play?" Haruhi asked.

Tamaki reddened and shuffled a bit. "Well, er…no. I'm not. It is, after all, a more serious play and I don't know that I can carry it off."

"Then why do it?"

Tamaki shook his head. "You have to see all of the work that the court ladies have done. You have to see their enthusiasm. If you see that, you'll understand why. I would feel terrible if I didn't go through with my part simply because I wasn't completely content with my role."

"But Haruhi, if you don't want to do it, we don't have to do it," Mei offered. "I'm sure we can distract the court ladies with something else."

Haruhi sighed and went silent for a long moment. She looked to each one of the group. Finally, her gaze settled on Tamaki.

Hikaru waited for the answer.

It wasn't what he expected.

"Okay, fine. I'm uncomfortable with it, you're uncomfortable with it. We'll just be uncomfortable together and get it over with."

Anger surged in Hikaru's chest as relief passed over Tamaki's face.

"Excellent!" Tamaki exclaimed. "We'll show you what the court ladies have come up with so far. Renge said that she would have the final say over what went in of course."

"If there's anything you're not happy with, we can always change it," Renge added.

To Hikaru's amazement, Haruhi nodded. "Okay. That's fine. Let's go see what they've come up with."

She followed Tamaki and Renge down the hall with Mei and Kyoya trailing behind them.

Hikaru was left staring dumbfounded down the hall. The court ladies weren't enough of a reason to put on a play! Why was everyone acting like they were?

"This is nuts! Has everyone lost their minds?" he demanded.

"Look, Hikaru, it's not that big of a deal," Kaoru started.

"Yes it is! Haruhi just let herself be talked into that role! That's not fair, she was pressured into it!"

"She could have said no. And if she really had that much of a problem with the role, I think she would have said so," Kaoru replied.

Hikaru threw his arms up. "It's wrong. I can't believe milord did this. And all because he was 'uncomfortable' talking to her? What kind of excuse is that?"

"You really don't get it, do you?"

Hikaru stared at his brother. "Get what?"

Kaoru shook his head. "Milord has developed feelings for Haruhi."

Hikaru blinked. "He…what?"

"Yeah. It's obvious. That's why he couldn't talk to her."

"So he's…in love with her?" Hikaru asked. Why did saying that make him want to squirm?

Kaoru shrugged. "I don't pretend to know milord's mind that well. He might be. Or he might be getting close to that point. In any case, it's probably good news for Alsance—he might be willing to get serious about his duties now. After all, we still need a queen."

"Right. Whole reason we came here." Hikaru stared at the floor. He had forgotten about that. It had become so hard to think of Haruhi as a princess. Most days he just thought of her as a friend.

Kaoru clapped him on the shoulder. "I know you're not happy about this play. I'm not either. But let's try to keep from complaining too much. For milord. And for Alsance."

Hikaru nodded mechanically. His tongue felt thick as he replied, "Yeah. For milord and Alsance."

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **The other actors immediately broke off from the group, leaving Haruhi and Tamaki.**_

 _ **Renge nodded as she flipped the script closed. "You two know what today is."**_

 _ **Haruhi's stomach sank. She exchanged a glance with Tamaki, who offered a weak smile.**_

 _ **"Confession scene day?" Tamaki guessed.**_

 _ **Renge nodded. "Exactly!"**_

Oh dear, how will this confession practice go? Check back **Thursday after next** to find out!


	82. Chapter 81: The Secret Rehearsal

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first as usual.

 **Guest:** Awww, thank you so much! It really means a lot to hear that. I am so glad you're enjoying the story and really appreciate your patience! Thank you for the review!

 **QueenRainbow:** A hiatus is just a term for an extended break (or an unexpected break). To my knowledge, it's usually used in TV shows to describe the break between seasons and it's gradually made its way into fandom-speak because of that (I'm actually not familiar with the topic myself, so anyone feel free to correct me if I've missed something.) As for your second question, I'm not sure if I can put an exact timeline on all of that. I do have a few more characters with roles planned, but the majority are from the manga. A few from the anime (like Kyoya's dad) may make brief appearances, but that will hinge on whether it helps move the plot forward. There's no need to apologize-I understand that things like that can happen. Thank you for all of your past reviews and I hope everything goes well for you!

 **Likingriver447:** I am so glad you're excited! I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!

 **lillyannp:** Thank you! Read on to see if your prediction proves correct!

 **GoldenOakLeavesOfWindClan:** Thank you! I was aiming for a translation of 'The Charms of the King,' so I'm glad it came across! I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you for your review!

Our next update will be **Thursday after next** (August 31st)!

Now, onto the next chapter-in which the troupe rehearses a very secret play!

* * *

For the troupe to surprise their audience, the rehearsals for _Arlecchino's Confession_ required the upmost secrecy. For days, the performers agonized over where to hold these rehearsals. Their usual space in city square was too public. Taking to the fields outside of the castle might also invite prying eyes. And within the castle, "Haruki's" identity risked being revealed.

In typical fashion, Misuzu devised a scheme that solved all of their problems. He declared that the troupe would rehearse in one of the smaller courtyards within the castle. Any corridors leading to the secluded courtyard would be placed under a guard and absolutely _no one_ was to pass once the troupe members took to practice. Windows that looked into the courtyard would be shuttered and locked and the key would be kept in Misuzu's care.

"Haruki's" identity would then be preserved by simple misdirection. On the first day of rehearsal, Misuzu would parade "Haruki" through the castle, making sure that everyone within earshot knew that the actor was now a welcome guest and could come and go as "he" pleased. Even the king would pause to greet the actor who played _Columbina_ and he would do so in front of Yuko. After this very brief greeting, "Haruki" would immediately be rushed to practice before the secondary advisor could grow too curious. In subsequent rehearsals, "Haruki" would be able to slip in and out of the castle without the slightest bit of fanfare.

The troupe eagerly put this idea forward to Haruhi, who agreed with a trace of hesitation. The plan was then executed without a hitch (though Haruhi felt that Yuko had stared at her for _just_ a bit too long) and the rehearsals began.

The first two days ran smoothly, but both concentrated on early scenes in the play. Even in this drama, Renge had written in a variety of comedic twists. To Haruhi, these rehearsals didn't feel any different than their other plays.

However, the third day was different. The troupe ran through a brief scene the immediately preceded a scene entitled " _Arlecchino's Soliloquy."_

As soon as they finished the scene, Renge clapped her hands. "Okay, good job on that everyone! I think we have that one, but we'll run in tomorrow and then once more in the full rehearsal. Grab your scripts and gather round."

Haruhi flipped to the page after the scene they had just practiced. She frowned. "Renge, there's nothing marked under the next scene."

Renge held up her version of the script with a flourish. "That scene only involves Tamaki, so he was the only one that needed the lines written out. I have it in here."

Haruhi turned suspicious. Usually, even if a scene only involved one character, it was passed around to everyone. "Okay…"

The troupe's manager breezed on. "So, today we're going to break into individual practice sessions."

Haruhi swallowed. That was also new. What on earth could it mean?

Renge paged through the script. "Okay…Honey, Hikaru, Kaoru—go through the scene that comes after _Arlecchino's_ soliloquy a few times."

"Absolutely!" the twins and Honey chorused. They hurried off to a corner of the courtyard.

Renge looked to Mori. "So Mori, since the rest of your scenes involve everyone else at some point, why don't you practice for the guitar scene for a while?"

Mori nodded, picked up the guitar that was supposedly involved somewhere in the second act and strolled away.

This left Renge's full attention on Tamaki and Haruhi. She flipped the script closed and leveled her gaze on them both. "You two know what today is."

Haruhi's stomach sank. She exchanged a glance with Tamaki, who offered a weak smile.

"Confession scene day?" Tamaki guessed.

Renge nodded. "Exactly! Tamaki, you're with Mei and Kyoya to practice the actual confession. I want you to really put your all into it. You've got to get into the spirit of this thing if we're going to get it right."

Tamaki laughed a bit. "I will do my best."

He bowed with the slightest bit of a flourish before joining Mei and Kyoya on the northern end of the courtyard.

Renge turned to Haruhi. "Haruhi, you're with me. We'll be practicing your reaction to the confession. Come this way."

Renge started for an arbor in the southeastern corner of the courtyard.

Haruhi trudged after her. "I don't understand why we're doing it this way. We've never broken up into groups before."

"That's because we're running each part of the scene separately," Renge replied. "We're not going to run the entire thing together."

Haruhi stopped short of the arbor, eyes going wide. "What? Are you kidding? Why would you do that?"

Renge huffed. "We want _Arlecchino's_ confession to come off as genuinely surprising. The only way we can produce real surprise in the performance is by making sure that you don't know what the confession is going to be beforehand."

"But how are we going to run the scene properly if we never _actually_ go through the entire scene?"

"By practicing like this!" Renge exclaimed. "You're going to have to improvise to a certain extent, but I know you can do it. And plus, that's the entire point to our session today!"

Haruhi sighed and sank down onto the stone bench beneath the arbor. "I guess I see your point…"

"So first, pretend I'm _Arlecchino_ ," Renge said.

"Okay…Do I need to be sitting for the confession?" Haruhi asked.

"We'll do it several different ways and see what you're most comfortable with. Now, start with your lines at the beginning of the scene before the confession."

They ran through the start of the scene, which involved a very nervous _Arlecchino_ being questioned by a worried _Columbina_. Haruhi didn't have an issue here.

Then…

Renge whirled around and grabbed Haruhi's hands in hers. " _Columbina,_ I _love_ you!"

Instantly, Haruhi went blank.

Renge's face fell to horror. " _Columbina…_ do you not…feel the same?"

"I—it's just—" Haruhi's stomach twisted as she tried to find proper words. But none would come to her.

This went on for a full minute.

Renge's expression turned from horror to irritation. "Oh, come on, Haruhi! It's not that hard! Can't you come up with anything to reply with?"

Haruhi shrugged helplessly. "It's just a shock! We've never done anything like this before, remember?"

Renge _tsked_. "Well, I suppose you have a point. That is, after all, why we're practicing. We'll try it again."

They ran through the scene again, only to meet with the same result. On the third run, Renge sank down onto her knees and stared up imploringly.

It didn't change Haruhi's reaction.

Renge decided that the fourth run needed to occur with Haruhi standing up.

Still, no change.

By the seventh trial, Renge groaned and covered her face with one hand. "You're worse than Tamaki! And I never thought I would get him comfortable with his lines!"

Haruhi glanced to her curiously. "Tamaki had trouble with his lines?"

"Yes! He had to work ages before he could get into the spirit of the confession," Renge said. "I couldn't believe how nervous he was with it. Hopefully, with a few more rehearsals, he'll be able to make it through the entire thing without a problem. You, on the other hand, may need to do some extra work outside of rehearsals."

At that, Haruhi cringed. She couldn't imagine trying to practice more than they already were.

Renge's next words were a relief. "But for now, let's take a break. I'll try to think of some other exercises to help you," the troupe's manager said with a wave of her hand. "I'll come find you when I'm ready."

Haruhi left Renge scribbling furiously in a notebook and wandered back to the center of the courtyard.

"So practice isn't going so well?"

She faced Hikaru as he sauntered over.

"It could definitely be going better," Haruhi admitted. "Are you finished practicing with Honey and Kaoru?"

"Yeah. We ran over the scene like five times all the way through. There's not much that happens, so there's only so much we can do. I was bored by the third run."

"I wish my scene was that easy. Renge and I practiced seven times and I still don't know what to do," Haruhi said.

"Why are you having so much trouble with it? Do you think there's a reason?" Hikaru asked.

Haruhi blinked. She hadn't considered that before. "Um…I don't know. I guess it's just a big departure from everything else we've done. Plus I'm not that comfortable improvising anyway."

"Well, maybe I could help. It might be Renge's fault that you're not getting it. Maybe she's not giving you enough to work with. Try practicing with me."

Haruhi cocked her head to one side. "You'd do that?"

Hikaru shrugged. "Yeah, sure. We can try it now if you want to."

"Okay. Sure."

She handed over the script for Hikaru to read through. He took a few moments, then nodded. "Ok. I've got it."

They started into the scene. Hikaru delivered _Arlecchino's_ lines without the over-acting that Renge had used.

But when it came time for the confession…

Hikaru grabbed Haruhi's hand, sinking onto his knees as he put his other hand to his heart. "But _Columbina_ , don't you see? Don't you understand?"

"Understand…what?" Haruhi asked.

Hikaru turned away from her with a dramatic sigh. "I love you! Almost more than I love myself!"

Instantly, Haruhi started laughing. Hikaru looked back to her with a grin.

"I don't think that's going to be in the script," Haruhi said through her laughter.

"Yeah, but it at least got you to laugh! I think all you really need to do is loosen up," Hikaru said as he released her hand and stood. "Just don't take it too seriously."

"But it's a serious scene," Haruhi said.

"Okay, then what would you do in real life?"

"Sorry, what?"

"What would you do in real life if someone confessed their love for you?" Hikaru repeated.

Haruhi stared at him blankly. "Uh, well…If you're looking for an honest answer, I'd probably gape at them like a fish before turning around and running away."

Hikaru snorted with a chuckle. "Probably not the best reaction here. Would you still do the same thing if it was someone you cared about?"

Haruhi held her hands out in a helpless shrug. "I don't know. I mean, I couldn't just respond to them on the spot. That's too much pressure. I'd need time to think things over first."

"Then do that!" Hikaru declared.

"Huh?"

"Let's practice again. Answer by asking for more time."

"Okay…?"

They began the scene again. This time, before the confession, Hikaru grabbed her hands and knelt.

" _Columbina,_ I have to tell you now. I can't keep it back any longer. I love you."

For a moment, Haruhi couldn't look away. He gazed up at her with some kind of strange light in his eyes.

Then she realized she was staring, flushed and averted her eyes from him.

"I…I need more time," she croaked.

"Time? What do you mean?" Hikaru asked.

"It's just…this is…this is a shock and I don't know that I can just…I don't know how to respond to…" Haruhi gestured uselessly with one hand. "To all that."

Hikaru's face fell. "You mean you don't love me?"

"No—it's not that!" Haruhi found the words at her lips before she had time to think. When Hikaru glanced up at her in surprise, she added, "Well…it's just…I don't _know_ how I feel!"

This time, Hikaru's tone was perplexed. "What do you mean? How do you not know how you feel?"

Haruhi let go of his hand and paced away a few steps. "I don't know how to explain it. It's just…Jumbled. Confusing. I need time to sort things out. Because if I respond now, I don't know if I could give you an answer that's one hundred percent true. I need to think."

Hikaru slowly rose from his kneeling position. "But don't you know it in your heart? Why would you need to think on it?"

"Because I want to be sure!" Haruhi exclaimed as she whirled about to face him. "You're…you're always so in touch with your emotions and you don't have any problem understanding them. I'm not the same way. I don't work like that. I have to think things through. Consider my feelings before I act on them. I don't wear my heart on my sleeve like you do. And in a way, I envy that."

A cloud passed over Hikaru's face. But he didn't respond.

So Haruhi went on.

"I do envy it. And I wish I could give you an answer right now. But I _have_ to have time."

Hikaru let out a long sigh. "I shouldn't have said anything—"

"No. I'm glad you told me. It explains a lot. After all, you _have_ been acting pretty strangely. And please…"

Haruhi surprised herself this time. She reached out and took Hikaru's hands and continued, "Don't think of this as a rejection. It's not a 'no.' It's an 'I don't know.'"

Hikaru shook his head a bit, then looked aside. "How long do you think it will take for you to know?"

"It may take some time. But I promise I will tell you _the moment_ I know the answer."

Silence fell for a long moment.

Finally, Hikaru looked back to her with a slight smile. "Then I guess I'll have to learn some patience."

At that, Haruhi returned his smile.

Renge's shriek followed an instant later. "That was _PERFECT!"_

Haruhi and Hikaru both glanced up in surprise. "What?"

Renge flew over to them. "That was just the kind of emotion we need! Hikaru, you did a great job improvising with her! From here on, you'll be her practice partner!"

Hikaru reddened. "Uh, um, thanks—and…sure."

"Now, Haruhi, let's go over the things you did right and what we can improve upon," Renge exclaimed, throwing an arm around her shoulders.

As they walked back toward the arbor, Haruhi caught a glimpse of Kyoya leaning against one wall of the courtyard. The illusionist's brow was furrowed and his lips curved into a deep frown as he stared at something across the courtyard.

Haruhi followed Kyoya's gaze.

To Hikaru.

The twin turned and seemed to glare back at Kyoya.

"Haruhi, are you listening?" Renge asked.

Haruhi snapped out of her daze and nodded. "Uh, yeah. Of course. What were we talking about again?"

And so the princess tried to focus on the task at hand, pushing thoughts of the strange exchange out of her head.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _ **Almost immediately after Kaoru, Hikaru and Haruhi returned to the stage for the next scene, Tamaki sank down on a crate. His hands were trembling. What was wrong with him? That scene hadn't been the confession!**_

 _ **The confession—just the thought turned his stomach.**_

 _ **"Majesty, are you well?" Reiko glided over to him in silence.**_

 _ **He shook his head. "I feel so shaky. And I'm afraid…I'm afraid I might be sick."**_

Oh dear, seems our troupe leader is suffering from some stage fright! Will Tamaki overcome his nerves? Will the show go on? Check back **Thursday after next** to find out!


	83. Chapter 82: Arlecchino's Confession

**UPDATE MARCH 5th, 2018:**

NEXT CHAPTER COMING WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28th! Thank you all so much for your patience during this hiatus. See you at the end of the month!

* * *

 **UPDATE FEB 18th, 2018:**

Hi everyone!

I apologize for the delay with the status update here. I ended up with the flu for a solid week at the beginning of the month and have been playing catchup with work and all my other projects since then.

Now, the good news is that I think I have a pretty solid grasp of the schedule going forward. We should be back to regular updates at the end of March! I'll update here on March 1st for the specific day!

Again, thank you all for your patience-I'm looking forward to getting back on this fic and finishing it out!  
-M3

* * *

 **UPDATE DEC 1st, 2017:**

Hi everyone!

So I was lucky enough to have a very productive few months writing-wise with my original projects. I am currently in editing mode for a major project that I worked on during NaNo and am looking forward to finishing that up. Now, unfortunately, this fic will need to stay on hiatus just a little longer while I finish those edits. I am hoping to return to a regular schedule some time in late February or March, but can't say for certain this far out. As such, I'll be providing another update here on **February 1st** once I have a firmer grasp of the expected schedule.

Thank you all so much for your patience-I truly appreciate it! I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year!  
-M3

* * *

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first as usual!

 **Guest:** Thank you so much for your review! I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

 **lillyannp:** Your observations with Kyoya are _quite_ insightful! Only future chapters can answer, however! As for Tamaki's confession, read on to see if he overcomes his nerves!

Now, as I've discussed in previous chapters, this fic will be on hiatus after this chapter. At the moment, I'm not sure how long the break will be. But, I hate to leave anyone hanging, so I do plan on giving an update once every three months as to where things stand. That notice will be posted at the **beginning of** **this chapter _._** It will detail the expected future forecast for the fic, especially if it looks like I will be back to updating consistently soon. So, this means that you all should expect a status update on **December 1st**.

So, onto the next chapter...in which _Arlecchino_ might confess!

* * *

For the first time in his acting career, Tamaki was anxious about performing.

He paced back and forth behind the stage, unable to run out the stream of energy that seemed to electrify his every nerve.

"It's simply another play. It means nothing more than any other play," he murmured under his breath. Maybe if he repeated it enough, he'd start to believe it.

"Um, Tamaki, are you okay?"

His blood ran cold as he turned to face Haruhi. "Er—um—yes! Of course!"

Haruhi's expression turned skeptical behind her mask. "Are you sure? You've been pacing like this for ten minutes."

"I suppose I can't deny it—I _am_ worried about this performance." Tamaki hung his head.

"I can't imagine why," Haruhi muttered. Tamaki almost cringed, but she offered a smile that softened the blow. "I understand. I'm nervous too."

Finding himself too tongue-tied to manage a direct response, he sighed and leaned around the corner of the stage to view the crowd. It must have been twice the size of the crowds for their usual performances. The front rows were crammed with both court ladies and devotees of "Haruki."

"We at least have a number of familiar faces in the audience to comfort us," he reported.

"Well good. And we'll have each other too."

Tamaki snapped around to her. "What?"

"We'll be on stage together for the worst scenes. It's like I said when we started, I'm uncomfortable and nervous, you're uncomfortable and nervous. So we can just be uncomfortable and nervous together. That should take _some_ of the pressure off, right?" Haruhi asked.

Tamaki chuckled in spite of himself. "You know, Haruhi, I believe that may be an excellent point."

She smiled. "Well, guess I should get to my place.'

He smiled and nodded. "Of course."

As she walked to the opposite end of the stage, he let out a breath. He simply needed to stay focused. That was all.

But as he thought of Haruhi, his stomach flipped. Staying focused might be harder than he thought.

He closed his eyes as he heard Renge's opening comments begin. The troupe's manager had stubbornly demanded that she be allowed to take over his usual duties before the show and make the announcement. Now, he was relieved that she had forced the point. He wouldn't have been able to do it today. Could Renge have had some sort of intuition regarding his nerves? Or perhaps Reiko—who was now sitting serenely on a crate behind the stage—had glimpsed something through her magical arts.

"And now, without further ado, _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ would like to present… _Arlecchino's Confession_!" Renge exclaimed.

Tamaki swallowed, straightened his back and strode onto the stage to thunderous applause.

The first scene took place in the kitchen of the house of the _innammorata_ master and mistress. _Pedrolino_ made a show of peeling vegetables as _Arlecchino_ paraded about, whistling to himself as he polished the household silver. _Arlecchino_ juggled the silver as he polished it, sliding it onto the shelves with perfect ease.

That is, until Columbina strode in. As soon as she trilled "good morning!", _Arlecchino's_ grip slipped on a silver candlestick. He fumbled about with it, eventually catching it between his knees. At _Columbina's_ arched eyebrow and curious head-tilt, he offered an awkward grin and a reply of "good morning."

"You look nice, _Columbina_!" _Pedrolino_ chirped. "Where are you going?"

"To meet with _Il Capitano_ ," _Columbina_ replied. "We're having lunch together."

At that, _Arlecchino_ spluttered. His grip tightened on the candlestick as his brow furrowed. He muttered under his breath about the "loathsome Captain who courted like a snake."

Yet when _Columbina_ inquired about the murmurs, _Arlecchino_ denied that he had said anything. She shot him a suspicious glance before exiting.

 _Arlecchino_ returned to polishing the silver with violent vigor. All the while, he grumbled about _Columbina's_ unsuitable match with the Captain. _Pedrolino_ simply listened, until the end of the scene when _Arlecchino_ stalked off the stage, still muttering. With the other servant's exit, _Pedrolino_ proclaimed, " _Arlecchino_ truly seems to dislike _Il Capitano_. Some might even say he sounds jealous."

 _Pedrolino_ considered where _Arlecchino_ had exited the kitchen and shrugged before departing as well.

The next scene opened in the _innammorati's_ parlor. Hikaru, returning as _Isabella_ , lounged on a chaise as Kaoru, reprising his role as _Flavio,_ read the newspaper. _Pedrolino_ and _Arlecchino_ entered and began making a show of clearing up their master and mistress's breakfast dishes. Banter ensued that eventually meandered to _Columbina_ and her luncheon with _Il Capitano_. Again, _Arlecchino_ muttered under his breath. _Isabella_ overheard and smiled widely. The _innamorata_ then suggested that _Arlecchino_ sounded jealous. _Arlecchino_ sputtered, but could only offer general defenses by attacking _Il Capitano's_ character and claiming that _Columbina_ was too good for him. _Isabella's_ sly smile grew.

"Well now, _Arlecchino,_ some might say that you sound like you're in love with _Columbina_ ," _Isabella_ declared.

 _Arlecchino_ froze mid-stride. He swiveled mechanically to face _Isabella_. His mouth opened and shut, but no words came out. Eventually, he lunged to pick up the breakfast dishes and hurried out of the room.

 _Isabella_ did not comment, but the sly smile remained.

After a brief scene change, the performance returned to the kitchens. _Arlecchino_ slumped on a stool, his head in his hands.

The door to the kitchen slammed open and _Columbina_ stormed in. Immediately, _Arlecchino_ asked for the cause of _Columbina's_ anger. The maid began to explain, but cut herself off with an irate growl. At _Arlecchino's_ wide-eyed gaze, she apologized and sighed. _Arlecchino_ took her hand and led her to the table. They sat and _Columbina_ explained that her lunch with _Il Capitano_ had gone very poorly. She related that she simply wanted to slow things down with the captain and had tried to tell him as much at this lunch. However, _Il Capitano_ had flown into a rage, believing she wanted to break off the relationship completely. She had protested and attempted to calm him down to allow her to clarify her position. There was no restraining his temper, which _Columbina_ likened to a toddler throwing a tantrum. Disgusted by this ill-mannered explosion, she threw away all thoughts of repairing the relationship and broke up with _Il Capitano_.

Finishing her story, _Columbina_ covered her eyes with one hand. "And Arlecchin _…_ "

 _Arlecchino_ ruffled with a bit of pride at her use of his pet name.

"I trusted _Il Capitano_. I even believed that he might love me and that I might love him. But that? That rage was not love. Who would ever rage at someone whom they truly loved? He utterly betrayed my trust. I can't believe I was so foolish," _Columbina_ continued.

"No, _Columbina, he_ is the fool," _Arlecchino_ countered.

She looked to him uncomprehendingly.

"To have acted in such a manner that caused him to lose you and your affections? That's the greatest foolishness I've heard. It is his loss. And you deserve far better than a fool," he said. "Yet I know you must be hurt. I wish I could cure the pain for you."

 _Columbina_ gazed at _Arlecchino_ for a long moment, a slow smile coming to her lips. She put a hand on his. "Thank you Arlecchin. Somehow you make all of this seem easier. I don't know what I would ever do without you—my closest confidante. My dearest friend."

She leaned closer and _Arlecchino's_ eyes widened. "Please," _Columbina_ pleaded. "Please let's make sure that nothing ever comes between the two of us. I couldn't bear to lose you."

 _Arlecchino_ gulped. His eyes darted to their intertwined hands, then back to _Columbina_. With an anxious chuckle, he said, "Of course, _Columbina_. I promise you nothing will ever come between us."

She smiled brilliantly. "Thank you, Arlecchin. I knew I could always rely on you."

The servants' bell rang out. _Columbina_ bounded up from her place. "I'm sure that's _Isabella_. I suppose it's back to work I go."

 _Columbina_ hurried off the stage, leaving _Arlecchino_ alone in the kitchen. The usually chipper servant groaned and buried his head in his hands.

This was it.

 _Arlecchino's_ soliloquy.

Tamaki took a deep breath as he raised his head to gaze at the audience. Blood pounded in his ears as the faces stared up at him.

His first lines trembled as he spoke them. "Oh _Columbina_ …Do you know what such a promise means? Could you possibly understand what you've asked me to do?"

He stood and took a few heavy steps. "You called me your dearest friend. You asked me never to let anything come between us. Yet how can I keep this promise when I fear that…that my own love for you will be the very thing that separates us!"

The crowd let out a gasp as he shook his head. "I can't deny it any longer. I've tried to ignore it for so long. Pretend that I don't feel it. But now even our mistress sees it. Yes, _Columbina_ …I love you."

He heaved a sigh. "When did I fall for you? I wish I knew. Was it that day you returned home from the market and I gallantly attempted to swing the bags from your arms—yet you resisted and our hands touched and for the first time, my clever jokes fled? Or was it before that? Was it the night of our master and mistress's masquerade ball when you and I dropped our servants' duties and danced in the service halls to muted music from the ballroom? Or could it have been…Could it have been even before that?" Tamaki paced the stage a bit. In the crowd, he could see the wide and teary eyes of fans from the court and city.

He continued, "Could a seed of this affection have lodged in my heart from the very day we met? Could it have been warmed by your smiles and watered by your tears? Could it be that now, only now, the plant has come to bloom?"

He paused, giving enough time for a single sniffle to ring out. Then he sank into the chair by the table again. "Yes. Perhaps that's the truth. Yet what good does it do me to know? I've turned from a jester who lives for laughs to a soliloquizing fool who waxes poetic over his affections."

That at least drew a chuckle from the audience. He tried not to smile as he raked a hand through his hair. "How should I carry on, _Columbina_? I can't confess to you! No! I couldn't sacrifice years of friendship and break your trust by uttering those three words. I am no _Il Capitano_. Yet I feel as if they'll burst from my lips at any moment."

He sank into the chair, despondent, before snapping up again with an idea. "I could leave. Travel the world until I outran this thing called love. Return to you when I had a calm mind and even nerves."

He slumped again. "But no. You called me your confidante. I couldn't betray you by leaving you bereft of that."

He rubbed his hands over his face. The sniffles had since grown in volume and number. "Oh _Columbina_. I have no choice. I cannot tell you. It would destroy too much. I must carry on as always, with this secret weighing in my chest."

He leaned his head into his hands. "Now to reconstruct my mask, to mimic that I've had no revelation."

The bell rang out again. Tamaki rose slowly from his chair. "To work. May no one hear the beat of my heavy heart."

The audience burst into applause at his final line. He let it wash over him for a moment before trudging off the stage.

Almost immediately after Kaoru, Hikaru and Haruhi returned to the stage for the next scene, Tamaki sank down on a crate. His hands were trembling. What was wrong with him? That scene hadn't been the confession! The confession—just the thought turned his stomach.

"Majesty, are you well?" Reiko glided over to him in silence.

He shook his head. "I feel so shaky. And I'm afraid…I'm afraid I might be sick."

Reiko whisked an object covered with white paper from her pocket and unwrapped it. "Eat this. It will help."

Tamaki chewed the confection, finding it simultaneously sweet with a spicy usual, Reiko was right. It did help to calm his churning stomach.

He offered a smile. "Thank you, Reiko. It helped immensely."

"Excellent, Majesty." With that, Reiko glided away again.

The rest of the second act consisted of small comedic scenes. _Il Capitano_ appeared in several, imploring _Columbina_ to return to him. Each time, the maid refused him, her rebuffs growing more irate. At the end of the second act, she opened the kitchen door to find _Il Capitano_ standing with a guitar. He began to play. But before he could open his mouth to sing, _Columbina_ slammed the door in his face and turned away with a huff.

Yet during the third act, _Columbina_ noted that _Arlecchino_ seemed nervous around her. When she asked what was wrong, _Arlecchino_ brushed it off. The maid obviously had growing suspicions of something amiss.

As the end of the third act approached, _Il Capitano_ made one more appearance. Strumming of a guitar outside the kitchen entrance forced _Columbina_ to answer the door. _Il Capitano_ swept in with garlands of roses about his head and neck. Red rose petals drifted in his wake. He knelt and offered a bouquet of roses to her, exclaiming how wrong he had been and begging for forgiveness. _Columbina_ simply crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. She snatched the bouquet and threw it to the floor with a cry of "Enough!"

As _Il Capitano_ stared, she started into an irate rant about the irritation of his affections. Her sharp tongue lashed out with vivid descriptions of the captain's childishness. She paced about, her gestures growing more and more agitated as she recounted how she had only wanted things to be amicable. She then accused the captain of ruining their relationship through his lack of maturity and hot-headed reactions, stating that such missteps could not be forgiven or forgotten.

 _Il Capitano_ stayed frozen in his spot.

At the end of her tirade, _Columbina_ snapped, "And now, I see that I have to spell things out for you in no uncertain terms! Let me make myself clear! I do not want to see you again! I never want you to contact me again! Do not seek me out! Ever! We. Are. Through!"

For a moment, she stood there, breathless from the force of her rage.

 _Il Capitano_ rose without a word, picking up his discarded bouquet. He plodded out the kitchen door, head bowed while his guitar dragged the ground behind him.

The audience applauded for a long moment. At last, _Columbina_ offered a curtsey and the applause quieted.

Which opened the final scene.

 _Arlecchino_ wandered into the kitchen. The second he saw _Columbina,_ he stiffened. He began to offer an excuse and turned to leave.

 _Columbina_ grabbed his hand and exclaimed, "Wait!"

 _Arlecchino_ turned.

But this was no longer an act.

It was a confession.

Tamaki gazed at Haruhi in trepidation of what was to come.

"Arlecchin," Haruhi began. "You've been acting strangely for a while now. I can tell there's something wrong. Won't you tell me?"

" _Columbina_ , I couldn't," he replied, gently extricating his hand from hers. "It's my burden to bear, not yours."

"I thought we were each other's confidantes!" Haruhi exclaimed. "You can tell me anything."

He shook his head. "No. No. I could not tell you this. It would be breaking a promise to you to tell you."

Haruhi sighed. "Then break your promise!"

Tamaki stared at her in disbelief. "What?"

"Break your promise," she repeated. "I would rather have you break a promise to me then have you in such agony. No promise is worth that."

Silence.

Then his hesitant question: "You're…you're certain of that?"

"I am. I'm asking you to tell me now. Whatever it is. Regardless of what it is."

Tamaki swallowed. This was it.

He paced away from her a few steps. Turned away from her. "Then… _Columbina_ …"

Silence again.

He swallowed and risked a few furtive gazes at her. Her eyes looked concerned behind the mask.

"I…" He would never be able to get it out. But he had to. He had to.

He couldn't.

She took a step towards him. "Arlecchin _…_ What could possibly be so terrible?"

Improvising. She had improvised to cover for him.

He couldn't let this play make fools out of them both. He had to say it.

With his heart pounding, he spun to face her fully, one hand reaching for her. Pleading with her.

The words exploded from him. " _Columbina,_ I love you!"

The audience gasped as Haruhi rocked back on her heels.

Silence reigned again.

Tamaki leapt into the rest of the confession before his nerves betrayed him. "There! It is said! The irreparable damage done! Do you see now why I wished to keep my secret?"

She shook her head slowly, lips moving without words.

He strode away from her, agitation in every word. "I said I would keep it secret. I said I would not confess. How will you ever be able to forgive me for this? I've betrayed you! Your dearest friend! He who promised never to allow anything to come between you. Yet here I stand—traitor!"

He took a deep breath, shoulders shuddering. He collected himself, then continued on in a calmer tone. "And perhaps…perhaps it would have been worth such a betrayal…if anything was able to come of it. I once called _Il Capitano_ a fool. Yet I must be an even greater fool. But I mustn't deceive myself."

For a long moment, he stared at the floor. A few soft sniffles escaped the crowd.

He raised his eyes to Haruhi's. She held his gaze as he said, "I would be mad to believe that there could ever be anything between us. For you are good and steadfast and prudent. And I am impish and unreliable and impulsive. I panic whereas you are calm. I am overwhelmed whereas you are capable. Truly, in the end, I do not serve any ends to benefit you in any way. As your friend, I might be forgiven these faults. But as anything more than that? No. It could never be."

Were there…tears in her eyes?

Slowly, he sank to his knees before her, bowing his head. "So _Columbina…_ I beg you to forgive me. Forgive me for breaking my promise. Forgive me for loving you. And I beg you to forget my ramblings. They're the words of a madman. For only an absolute madman could believe that you would ever come to love a fool like me."

The silence returned. Heavier than ever. Broken only by the soft sobs from the audience.

He waited.

Breathe. He had to breathe. She was braver than he was. Her courage wouldn't fail her.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up.

Haruhi looked him in the eye. The audience faded. It was as if they were the only two left in the world.

"Only time can tell that," she said.

His mouth dropped open. Of all the scenarios they might have rehearsed…He hadn't considered this one.

He licked his dry lips. "What…what do you mean?"

"Only time can tell if I could come to love you."

He put a hand on hers. He had to. He might have fainted otherwise.

"You…?" he whispered.

"I am not sure of how I feel. I must tell you that now. I wouldn't wish to buoy up your hopes only to have them crushed. You are able to wear your heart on your sleeve. To understand your emotions with absolute certainty. I'm not like that. I've never been that certain. I've always needed to think before I understood how I felt. Which means I will need time. I will need patience."

Tamaki could only stare. He couldn't even muster a nod.

She continued, 'Yet, I can't deny that there is a chance….There is a chance I _could_ love you," she said. "Which though it terrifies me, though I know that I do risk losing you…"

He held his breath.

Her hand tightened on his shoulder as she finished, "I want to try."

"You mean…?"

She smiled with a nod.

His heart sang in his chest as he sprang to his feet and crushed her to him in an embrace. "Oh _Columbina_! I will give you time. Decades—no, centuries—if you need them! You'll have every bit of patience on earth! And I swear never to betray your trust. To do everything in my power to make you happy."

Haruhi laughed. "I know you will, Arlecchin."

They embraced again to the cheers, screams and applause of the crowd.

It was over. The confession was done. And he could breathe easier.

He tried not to hold on to her for too long.

In the end, they had to return to the stage and bow three times before the hubbub began to quiet. Even then, there were still shouts for an encore.

Tamaki practically floated in the air after their final exit from the stage. Some emotion bubbled in his chest. Inexplicably, he began laughing. At Haruhi's quizzical smile, he replied between laughs, "I'm sorry! I don't know what's come over me. I can't seem to stop! I suppose I'm just so relieved we're done."

"I know. Me too," she said. "I don't know how you did it. How _did_ you do it? That entire confession seemed…so real.

He gazed at her as his laughter quieted, a smile still at his lips. She might not know it was real now.

But he would change that soon enough.

He produced a red rose from his sleeve with a flourish and offered his most mischievous smile. "Well, princess, what fun would it be if I told you all of my secrets?"

* * *

So that wraps it up for this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it! Because of the break, I won't be posting a new chapter excerpt here (that kind of cliffhanger would just be wrong.)

I really do appreciate everyone's support so much-thank you all for your patience with past schedule swaps and this break. I do absolutely plan on finishing this fic and I believe that this break will give me a chance to recharge and come back with a fresh perspective and energy.

The status update will be posted at the beginning of this chapter on **December 1st!** Check back then to see how things are coming along!

Wishing you all the best over the next few months!

-M3


	84. Chapter 83: Jealousy

**UPDATE: APR 11th:**

Hey everyone,

So I've had some stuff go on that's prevented me from finishing up the chapter as I intended, but I should be able to get it done in a day or two. So the update is going to be Friday (April 13th) or Saturday (April 14th)!

* * *

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! It's great to finally be back posting again!

First and foremost, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for your patience over the course of the hiatus. The break went a little longer than I expected, but hopefully that should be one of the last major posting pauses.

Second, a bit about the schedule going forward: just to make sure that I am able to be consistent, updates from here on will likely be on a two week schedule on Wednesdays. This means that the next update should be on **April 11th**!

I'll restart review responses with the next update! Thanks again for your patience!

* * *

 _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ performed _Arlecchino's Confession_ another three times.

And by the fourth performance, Hikaru was utterly sick of it.

He was sick of watching Tamaki swan around the castle. He was sick of hearing Tamaki's suave phrases offered up to _Haruhi_ of all people, even if everyone else brushed off such comments as jokes. He was sick of seeing Tamaki and Haruhi together constantly.

And most of all, he was sick to death of the confession scene in the play. If he had to watch it one more time, he was going to lose it.

His bad temper didn't go unnoticed. One day while entertaining guests in the Spy's Courtyard, he felt eyes on him. He turned to see Kaoru staring at him. He shrugged and went on about trying to keep his guests entertained. But every time some utterly ridiculous declaration of Tamaki's floated over to his nearby group, his jaw clenched.

Then, there came the final straw.

Tamaki scampered across the courtyard to Haruhi, a flower circlet resting on his head. "Princess! Sumire has kindly crafted this circlet of flowers for me. She claims it makes me King of the Daisies. Do you think I will make a good king?"

Haruhi laughed and waved a hand. "I guess so."

"But a king needs a queen, yes?" Tamaki asked.

"That's true," Haruhi conceded.

"Then which of these noble ladies should be my queen?" Tamaki swept a hand out over the court ladies, who screamed and squealed.

"Um, well…" Haruhi gazed out over the courtyard with a frown.

"Oh come come, surely you have a suggestion! Unless of course…" Tamaki leaned down to her with a conspiratorial smile. Hikaru strained to hear the next words. "You hesitate because you believe _yourself_ to be best suited to the position."

A storm of fury surged in Hikaru's chest. Across from him, several of the court ladies shifted, asking, "Hikaru, is something wrong?"

Thankfully, Haruhi rolled her eyes and swatted Tamaki's shoulder. "Don't be silly."

The anger calmed, just a bit. "Oh, there's nothing wrong-"

"Ah, princess, you wound me!" Tamaki clutched his chest, then dropped his hands with a grin. "So who do you believe I should pick?"

Haruhi pursed her lips. "Hmm…I would say…Ayame."

"My good lady Ayame! The princess has declared that you are to be my queen," Tamaki exclaimed. "Make yourself ready—the daisies hold court at noon!"

Ayame flushed and laughed amidst the giggles of her friends.

Tearing his attention away from Tamaki, Hikaru managed a smile to his group. "My apologies ladies. Just thought I heard an irritating gn—"

But Tamaki had danced back to Haruhi, his eyes still dancing. "Fair judge, I believe I owe you a prize for your sage wisdom."

Tamaki twisted his hands and offered up a red rose from nowhere.

Haruhi merely smiled and took the rose. "Thank you."

Hikaru's patience snapped at that. He jumped up from his place and stalked out of the courtyard, despite the calls of his guests.

He didn't stop until he reached the silence of the library. There, he sank into a chair and glared at the floor. It was one thing for Tamaki to act the charming fool with Haruhi. But for Haruhi to _accept_ his idiotic antics? Hikaru crossed his arms and ground his teeth.

When the door to the library opened again, he groaned to himself. But a voice called for him. "Hika?"

He slumped further into his chair as Kaoru meandered in. Again, he felt his twin staring at him.

"What do you want?" Hikaru demanded.

"What was all of that in the courtyard?"

"I just got sick of sitting there. Everyone was annoying me."

"Are you sure?" Kaoru edged over to Hikaru's chair until he became a figure silhouetted against the early morning sun streaming in from the window. "You've just seemed sort of…angry lately."

"I'm _fine_."

"You don't sound like it."

Hikaru turned away. If he didn't say anything more, maybe Kaoru would get the hint and stop bothering him.

Of course, Kaoru didn't get the hint.

"Come on. We've always talked to each other. What makes things any different this time?"

"It's just stupid."

"Aha. So you're _not_ fine."

Hikaru groaned. "Look, I'm just sick of the way milord is acting!"

Kaoru's head tilted to the side. "What do you mean? He's not acting any differently than he usually does."

"Are you kidding? Have you seen him with Haruhi?"

At that, Kaoru's expression fell. "Oh, you mean that."

"Yes, _that_. It's ridiculous. Ever since we did the first performance of _Arlecchino's Confession_ , he's been pirouetting around her like a clown. Have you heard the things he says to her? He's treating her just like any of the other court ladies!"

"Well, maybe that's a _good_ sign."

"How could that be a good thing?" Hikaru cried.

"It means that milord is over his nervousness." Kaoru glanced out the window. "Maybe he'll be able to court her properly now. If we're lucky, she'll return his affections and we'll be back in Alsance in a few weeks, at worst, a couple of months."

"I can't believe you're talking like this!"

"Hikaru, that was the goal whenever we left home! You've known that from the beginning."

"But it wasn't supposed to go like this. Haruhi is our _friend_ —"

"And milord is our _king_."

Hikaru flinched. As if he didn't know that.

Kaoru sighed and covered his eyes with one hand. "Hika, you're going to have decide where your loyalties lie. I know Haruhi is our friend, but Tamaki was our king first. We came here to help him."

Hikaru couldn't think of anything to say. Every irate retort sounded weak in his head. So silence took over. At last, Kaoru shrugged and sauntered away, leaving his twin to brood.

#

On the day of the fifth performance of _Arlecchino's Confession,_ Hikaru was still unsettled. He bounced up and down on his toes, rerunning the confession scene over and over again in his head. It nauseated him more each time he thought about it.

He knew one thing: he couldn't take watching it again. But what could he do about it?

"Hikaru?" Kyoya paused near him. "Mori is busy repairing some boards on the stage. Take over putting up the backdrop for him—the ladder is over there."

Hikaru nodded and grabbed the ladder. But once he had shimmied to the top of the ladder with the backdrop in hand, he paused.

For ease of transport, the backdrop consisted of canvas with several small holes near the top. Ropes had been threaded through each hole, meant to be tied to the backdrop's wooden frame to stretch it taunt. Usually, Mori tied the knots so tightly that only he or Kyoya (with the help of a bit of magic) could loosen them.

But if the knots were tied loosely…Then the backdrop might come loose. The play couldn't continue if part of the backdrop was flapping around. Hikaru grinned to himself. Perfect. Maybe he could end this play before the confession scene.

He tied all of the knots loosely—after all, he had no idea which one might give way—climbed down from the ladder and surveyed the backdrop with a nod. That should do it.

The play began and the first act passed without a hitch.

By the second act, Hikaru began to wonder if he had tied the knots too tightly.

Once the third act began, he had completely given up on the backdrop coming loose. He'd just have to suffer through hearing the confession for the sixth time—he _certainly_ wasn't going to stay in the side wings to watch it. He stomped away to the furthest corner of the backstage area, bracing to hear the scene begin.

"Wait!" Haruhi's cry came from the front of the stage.

And there was the beginning of the scene. Hikaru sank down onto a crate, leaning his head in his hands. He could probably recite the entire thing from memory by now.

A gust of wind breezed through the square and a sound like a sail snapping made Hikaru glance up.

The backdrop rippled.

Hikaru stared as another wind gust ruffled the fabric of the loose backdrop. But it didn't look like only one or two knots had given way.

It looked like they _all_ had.

Oh no—it wasn't supposed to happen like this. He jumped to his feet.

The ropes released all at once and the backdrop began to fall.

A third wind gust blew the backdrop forward.

All Hikaru could hear was the surprised shrieks of the crowd.

#

"Thank you for your concern, but I promise we're both fine!" Tamaki chuckled and waved a hand at the crowds of concerned fans surrounding him and Haruhi. "There's not a scratch or bruise on either of us."

"Are you _certain_? That backdrop looked so heavy!" One of the fans exclaimed.

"It's just a bit of canvas," Haruhi said with a shrug.

Hikaru stood on the edge of the crowd, shoulders slumped. Apparently, the scene had been terrifying from the front of the stage. The backdrop had exploded forward and dropped on Haruhi and Tamaki in the middle of the confession scene. The troupe members had all hurried forward to dig their fellow performers out from the canvas. Fortunately, the base of the backdrop had been weighted with sandbags, which probably kept the damage from being worse. No one had been hurt, but it had been a shock for everyone involved.

So far, none of the other troupe members had questioned him about the backdrop. But he was sure he had seen Kyoya squinting at him with narrowed eyes. Hopefully the illusionist would chalk it up to an accident. Hikaru shivered at the thought of what might happen if Kyoya didn't.

"Now, I do feel obligated to continue today's performance—we can't cheat you of the play's ending," Tamaki declared.

A chorus of protests rose up from the crowd.

"No, you can't!"

"Not after an accident like that!"

"We really don't mind missing the ending—we just want you all to be safe."

Tamaki sighed with a shrug. "Well, if all of you are so opposed to continuing today, then what do you say to returning here tomorrow for an encore performance of the entire play?"

That provoked a flood of cheers from the crowd.

So much for not seeing a fifth version of the confession scene.

The crowd dispersed and the troupe set about packing up the set. Hikaru helped roll up the backdrop, ignoring the slight guilty twinges he felt. He was just waiting for someone to stop him. Ask what had happened.

The questions never came.

At least not while they were outside of the castle.

As soon as they returned to Shikanai's castle, Hikaru hurried off to one of the music rooms. He didn't want to talk to anyone, lest they—

The door to the music room opened. Hikaru's stomach plummeted.

Kyoya stood in the doorway.

The illusionist strode into the room, shutting the door behind him. Bad sign.

"Well, Hikaru, do you have anything to say in your defense?"

"De—defense?" Hikaru spluttered. "What are you talking about—it was an accident!"

Kyoya pushed his glasses up with one finger. "Hmmm, I could have believed that if only one or two of the knots had come undone. After all, mistakes can be made and ropes can slip. But for _all_ of the ropes to fall away? That is either incompetence or—"

Hikaru resisted the urge to shuffle as Kyoya leveled a dark gaze at him.

"It was intentional."

"It wasn't my fault!" Hikaru protested.

Kyoya ignored him. "Which leads me to wonder—what could have caused a typically loyal friend to sabotage a play?"

"I didn't sabotage it!"

"Unfortunately, what answers I can come up with do not present you in a positive light. Either you've become spiteful through some incident and claim false friendship with the others—"

"I have not!"

"Or you've become resentful of your position—"

"That's not true!"

"Or you're jealous."

Hikaru's breath hitched. He shook his head. "No. I'm not jealous."

Kyoya's eyes had hardened. "You would think with all of the performances we've done, you would be much better at acting out a lie."

Hikaru cringed. But he wasn't jealous—he _couldn't_ be jealous. What did he have to be jealous of?

"Might I remind you that your stunt today could have harmed not only those who you claim friendship with, but _both_ the crown princess of Ichio and _your own king_." Kyoya's expression hadn't softened.

"The entire backdrop wasn't supposed to come down! I didn't think—"

" _Exactly_. You didn't think," Kyoya growled. "Perhaps all of this playing at being a common acting troupe has made you forget, but we came to Ichio for one purpose alone. To allow Tamaki a chance to court a princess who might become his queen."

"Which he hasn't done!"

"But _now_ , he might begin to in earnest. And I will not see his efforts overshadowed by your antics. You are, first and foremost, a member of the Alsancean court. Everything you do should support the king, and in turn, Alsance. So swallow whatever fits of emotion you may be having or _I_ will step in and solve things myself," Kyoya declared.

"And what exactly do you think you're going to do?" Hikaru challenged.

Kyoya's answer didn't come in words. But in a sudden thickening of the air around them both. Hikaru swallowed, wavering at the electricity in the air.

Then it was all gone. Kyoya's voice was calm, but firm on his last statement: "Your king and your country have no use for your jealousy."

* * *

And the next chapter's excerpt is...

 _"Haruhi!" Ranka waved a letter. "You have a response from Yuzuru! And I have some quite interesting things to report about his son."_

 _"Great!" Haruhi hurried over and took the letter from her father. "Let me read his response first, then you can tell me everything else."_

 _Tamaki exchanged a wide eyed glance with Honey as Haruhi and Ranka walked on down the hall._

The next update will be **April 11th**! See you then!


	85. Chapter 84: A Letter Delivered

**UPDATE APRIL 24th:**

Hey everyone,

So the last couple of weeks have been pretty hectic for me. I'm hoping that things will calm down this week, but am going to need a bit more time to get the next chapter prepared appropriately. I'm aiming to get the update out on **April 30th,** but it will be out **May 1st** at the absolute latest.Fingers crossed that this will be the last little delay for a while and I'll be able to get back to posting on a consistent two-week schedule.

Thank you so much for your patience! See you next week!

* * *

Hey everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Apologies for the brief delay this update-this week has been a bit hectic for me. Review responses are up first!

 **arxmuse:** Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter. And I really appreciate that catch-everything has been updated to fix it!

 **Lillyannp:** I am glad to be back! Hope you enjoy the new updates!

 **Likingriver447:** Thank you so much! I'm very happy to be updating again! I hope you enjoy the updates!

 **Penstar1331:** Thank you! It's good to be back!

So updates are going to continue in a two week fashion, meaning the next update will be on **April 25th**! If at any time, I have issues that require a day or two delay (like this past week), I'll be updating the previous chapter with author's notes so you all will know what to expect!

Now, onto the next chapter, in which a letter is delivered!

* * *

A rare spring rain came to the castle at Shikanai, which compelled the troupe to conduct their usual entertainment of the court indoors. Fortunately, Honey, Reiko and Renge had developed a few new games to play as the rain pattered on the castle's roof.

Tamaki waltzed among the groups, offering brilliant smiles to all of the court ladies and jesting with the handful of the court gentlemen who had joined their female friends. Though he was perfectly at ease, there was one thing—or rather, someone—missing.

The doors to the parlor opened and all heads swiveled to the new arrival. Tamaki's heart leapt and a giddy grin he still wasn't quite used to overcame him.

"Highness! Lady Mei!" He danced over to the door and bowed. "Have you come to see our splendid indoor garden? We have all sorts of lovely blossoms visiting with us today."

Haruhi and Mei rolled their eyes with quiet laughs.

"You've certainly drawn a crowd today," Haruhi noted.

Mei craned her neck, looking to a group crowded around Reiko and a screen in a dim corner of the room. "What game are they playing over there?"

"Ah! Reiko is creating magic shadows for them. You must both see it if you haven't already," Tamaki declared. "But I won't allow one of you to go without a proper escort…"

He cast a glance over the room, then spied a certain redhead among the court ladies. "Cassanova!"

The gardener turned, the color draining from his face as soon as he spotted Mei.

Tamaki motioned him over. When the gardener stumbled over, Tamaki explained, "Lady Mei would like to see Reiko's shadow-games. It came to my attention that she could use a proper escort this afternoon. Would you be willing to take this duty on?"

A blush washed over Kasanoda until the gardener's face was as red as his hair. Nonetheless, Kasanoda stammered, "Er, um—of course!"

Kasanoda snapped to stick straight attention next to Mei and extended a stiff arm. Mei might have been a touch flushed herself as she took his arm.

Tamaki restrained a chuckle and offered his arm to Haruhi. "Well Highness, shall we?"

Haruhi took his arm with a slight smile and they started for Reiko's group.

While he was certainly calmer with the princess after performing _Arlecchino's Confession_ , Tamaki's heart still fluttered in his chest at her touch. In an effort to distract himself, he peered about the room, ensuring that everything was running smoothly. But his sweep of the guests halted abruptly.

Hikaru, who had been in the middle of a game of "Which One Is Hikaru?", was staring at him with narrowed eyes. Tamaki glanced over his shoulder—was there something behind him? There didn't seem to be…

When he looked back to Hikaru, the glare had disappeared—Hikaru's attention had moved elsewhere. The twin grimaced, then turned back to his guests. Tamaki traced where Hikaru's gaze had been—to Kyoya. The illusionist's mouth had twitched into a pleasant smile, but something about his eyes didn't match the expression.

"Tamaki?"

The call jerked his attention to Haruhi. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, yes, of course." He shook his head to shake off the strangeness.

At Reiko's game, the enchantress created shadows from nothing more than simple gestures. To the delight of the guests, the gestures grew to complicated animals and mythical creatures against the screen.

Tamaki leaned against one of the walls near Honey, listening to the cries of glee with a smile. Maybe one day soon, his own courtiers would be with this group. He had wondered how everyone in Alsance was faring…

The doors to the parlor opened again. This time, Ranka stood in the doors.

"Don't mind me everyone!" He trilled. "Just stopping in."

The queen traipsed over to Haruhi's group, pulling a white envelope from a sleeve.

"Haruhi!" Ranka waved the letter. "You have a response from Yuzuru!"

Tamaki's stomach sank like a stone.

Ranka continued, "And I have some quite interesting things to report about his son."

Tamaki prayed no one could see how faint he suddenly felt.

"Great!" Haruhi hurried over and took the letter from her father. "Let me read his response first, then you can tell me everything else."

Tamaki exchanged a wide eyed glance with Honey as Haruhi and Ranka walked out of the parlor.

Honey tugged at Tamaki's sleeve. "Tama, should we…?"

"We should do… _something_ ," Tamaki admitted, his voice ringing faint in his own ears.

Honey and Tamaki gave quick excuses to the surrounding court ladies and hurried out of the parlor. But, the arrival of the letter had not escaped the notice of the other troupe members. They all converged in the hallway outside the parlor.

"What are we going to do?" Kaoru demanded. "If Haruhi and the queen read that letter then—"

"Everything will fall apart," Mori finished.

Tamaki flinched, unable to respond.

Honey raised one finger, apparently struck by an idea. "We should try to steal it back."

"There's no way we could do that," Hikaru said. "Besides, Ranka has already read the letter."

"Then that leaves us with only one option," Kyoya said.

The rest of the troupe turned to stare.

The illusionist pushed back his glasses with one finger. "We have to find out what they know."

#

Shortly after the rather rushed departure of the troupe, a footman appeared in the parlor and hurried over to Mei. The footman declared that Misuzu wished to see her in the kitchens. So Mei said her goodbyes to Kasanoda and the court ladies and hurried on to the kitchens.

The kitchens were a flurry of activity and jumbled voices. Mei squeezed in-between the cooks and assistants until she reached Misuzu, who was stirring batter rather vigorously with a wooden spoon.

"Ah! There you are. Would you mind terribly if I asked you to deliver tea to Ranka's chambers?" her father asked. "I usually bring it myself but I'm afraid I started into a rather finicky cake that can't be left for a moment and no one else can—"

Mei put a hand on her father's arm. "I can take it."

Misuzu brightened and directed her to the tea trays. Maneuvering the tea trays up the stairs to one of the carts was tricky business, but the rest of the journey passed without incident.

However, Mei did not expect the scene that met her outside the queen's chambers.

Tamaki paced in front of the doors, his face pale and hair mussed. The twins had clambered onto chairs pushed next to the chamber doors with their ears pressed against the cracks between the doors and the wall. Mori leaned out of a window with _someone_ —Mei assumed it was Honey—sitting on his shoulders.

And strangest of all in this scene, Kyoya knelt on the floor in front of the doors, making small movements with his hands as if he were feeding a thread through the base of the door.

"What are all of you doing?" she asked.

The troupe members spun about. Tamaki froze mid-step. The twins nearly fell from their chairs and Mori whipped about so quickly that Honey was left bobbling back and forth on his shoulders. Kyoya, however, did not rise from his kneeling position.

"We're—we're—" Tamaki stammered.

"We're searching for an earring," Kyoya offered in a calm voice. "Sumire believes she lost it somewhere around here."

"Yeah! Mori and I thought it could have fallen into the bushes outside," Honey volunteered.

"And we thought we could catch a glimmer of it from way up here," Hikaru added.

Mei pursed her lips and nodded slowly, a wind of suspicion fluttering through her mind. "I see. Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to deliver this tea to the queen."

Kyoya rose from his kneel and stepped aside from the doors. "Please, go ahead."

Mei knocked, received the typical trill of "enter!" from Ranka and opened the door. But she couldn't help but notice that Kyoya's hands were still positioned as if holding a string as she wheeled the cart into the queen's chambers.

"Ah yes, the tea—and an unexpected delivery person! Good morning, Mei!" Ranka exclaimed.

Mei curtseyed to Ranka and nodded to Haruhi. "Good morning, Majesty."

"Please, just set things up over there." Ranka waved a hand absently towards the table. In his other hand, he held a letter. "Now, Haruhi, you must hear this part of the letter. This is where Yuzuru speaks of his son."

Haruhi leaned forward in her chair. "What does he say?"

Mei began setting up the tea as she listened absently to the discussion.

"Yuzuru—oh the poor man…Yuzuru describes his son thusly." Ranka began reading the letter. "'While I do hold the deepest affection for him, my son, unfortunately, is wholly unsuited to taking on the crown of Alsance. He is listless, prone to sullen fits and holds the most grandiose ideas of himself and his plans that he does not have the fortitude or forethought to carry out. I hope to one day shape him into a somewhat decent ruler, but so far find my desires thwarted. After reading your daughter's letter, I thought that perhaps he might visit Ichio and learn how a competent heir to the throne conducts their duties.'"

Haruhi shook her head with a long sigh. "That's terrible. I don't know whether I feel worse for: Yuzuru or his son. Maybe he could come visit us if Yuzuru truly believes it would help. Did Yuzuru mention his son's name?"

Ranka paused, his mouth dropping into an uncertain "O." The queen began paging back through the letter. "You know, he didn't! But I suppose the mention was only a paragraph or so long. And with such a description, including his son's name might have been distasteful to him."

Haruhi shrugged. "I suppose so."

Mei finished setting up the tea and curtseyed again to Ranka. "Majesty, if that is all—"

Ranka smiled. "Absolutely, Mei. Please carry on with your business. And tell Misuzu that I appreciate the delivery person he sent in his place."

Mei smiled back with a wave to Haruhi and ducked out of the chambers with the tea cart.

But another strange scene met her on her exit.

The troupe had crowded into a huddle on the opposite side of the hall. Worried murmurs floated about. Mei leaned forward and sighted Tamaki in the midst of this group. The troupe leader had apparently fainted.

"Oh no—is he all right?" she asked, hurrying over in case her assistance was needed.

"Yes, he's fine," Kyoya assured her. "He stood up a bit too quickly after finding Sumire's earring. You know these excitable types."

Mei frowned, but nodded. "Is there anything I can do?"

"We're handling it," Honey said with a bright, though slightly strained, smile.

There were five potential caretakers present. She would probably only be in the way if she tried to help. "Okay. Well…I hope Tamaki feels better."

Mori nodded with a low noise of affirmation. Mei cast one last look at the group before heading on.

Halfway back to the kitchens to return the cart, Mei passed Sumire. "Oh, Sumire—the troupe found the earring you lost."

Sumire paused, confusion passing over her face. "I didn't lose an earring."

"You didn't?"

"No, I didn't."

Mei shook her head, suspicions rising again. "Oh, well, I must have misheard what they said."

As Mei walked on, thoughts began swirling in her head with her suspicions.

There was the position of the troupe members, who looked as if they had been attempting to eavesdrop…And they had lied about the earring...But why would they want to snoop like that?

Then she thought of the discussion of the letter.

 _"_ _Did Yuzuru mention his son's name?"_

 _"_ _He didn't!"_

The image of Tamaki's unconscious form snapped to the forefront of her mind.

 _"_ _He stood up a bit too quickly after finding Sumire's earring."_

What on earth could have caused him to have such a moment? If they had been listening in…What if…No—surely she was being silly.

"'a _nd holds the most grandiose ideas of himself and his plans that he does not have the fortitude or forethought to carry out.'_ "

Grandiose ideas…That…Sounded terribly familiar.

There was too much to this situation that didn't add up.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _"Pull yourself together!" Kyoya snapped._

 _Tamaki cringed and glanced up._

 _"Do you really think your father would have said those things about you? He was trying to protect you!"_

Oh dear, what is going to come of our illusionist's discussion? Check back in two weeks to find out!


	86. Chapter 85: Lies and Suspicions

Hey everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! Review responses are up first!

 **Guest:** I'm so glad you're enjoying it! I hope you like this next chapter!

 **Amanda:** Oh thank you so much! It's awesome to hear that you've just joined us!

So updates are still about every two weeks! Meaning the next will be on **May 16th!**

Onto the next chapter-in which a certain lady in waiting grows suspicious!

* * *

"Do you guys think we should be worried about milord?" Kaoru asked the troupe members as they sat in the Great Hall.

Once recovered from his fainting episode after the troupe's spying escapade, Tamaki turned catatonic. Now, the troupe's leader sat curled into a ball in the corner, unmoving and silent.

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "He needs to get over it. So his father said he was unfit to rule—big deal. I'm sure parents talk about what disappointments their kids are all the time."

"But Tama is particularly concerned about living up to his father's and his grandmother's expectations," Honey countered. "Her Majesty Queen Shizue was initially so skeptical of Tama that I think he's tried to make up for it."

"Prove her wrong and his father right in giving him the crown," Mori added.

"So this _is_ really a big blow to him." Kaoru glanced back to Tamaki with a frown.

"Well, if he _really_ wanted to prove himself worthy of the crown, he'd quit acting like a sulking child," Hikaru said. "Who would be able to take a king that acts like _that_ seriously?"

"May I remind you, Hikaru, that Tamaki is not the only one of our group prone to sullen, childish fits." Kyoya's first words since the troupe had taken to the Great Hall cut through with cool clarity.

Hikaru opened his mouth to retort, but Kaoru elbowed him—hard. Grimacing, Hikaru grabbed his arm and rubbed at it, but said nothing else.

Kyoya whisked a pocket watch from his coat and glanced at it. "And it's officially been three hours. If I might ask the rest of you to vacate the room—I need to speak to Tamaki alone."

The other troupe members exchanged glances, but did as the illusionist asked.

Once only the troupe leader and the illusionist were left, Kyoya sauntered over to the corner. "Tamaki, enough sulking. We have things to do."

No response.

"Are you so injured that your father's words will prevent you from moving on and _doing your duty_?" Kyoya asked.

An incoherent mumble answered. At least that was a slight improvement.

"This is ridiculous and you know it. You aren't garnering pity from anyone. You're simply making yourself look like a fool," Kyoya continued.

Tamaki barely raised his head. His eyes might have cut towards Kyoya, just in the slightest.

Kyoya offered up his next challenge. "Do you think this is proper behavior for a king? What would Haruhi think if she saw you in this state?"

Tamaki's eyes narrowed and he slumped forward again. Finally, he spoke, "What would it matter? If my father thinks I am such an unfit ruler, then surely I will be dethroned and the crown passed to another. What need do I have of a queen?"

Kyoya's patience snapped. "Yet you sit here and confirm the exact lie your father told!"

Tamaki straightened. "A…lie…?"

"Yes! Are you such a fool that you believed your father _truly_ thought that? Pull yourself together!"

The troupe's leader stared with wide eyes. "Do you mean…?"

Kyoya groaned and ran his hands over his face. His king could truly be a dimwitted fool at times. "Your father obviously lied to protect your identity. His description was a misdirection. Think—if he had told the truth, what could have come from subsequent letters?"

Tamaki's mouth moved in silent calculation.

Kyoya began pacing. "If your father had told the truth, he would have presented a case of a overly-sensitive but perfectly capable monarch beloved by his court. _You_ would have become the natural primary contact in discussions of alliances between Ichio and Alsance, not your father. If such talks had ensued, Yuzuru would have been required to admit that you were traveling. Perhaps Haruhi or Ryoji then requested to meet you. And what would your father have done then?"

Instead of responding, Tamaki could only shake his head.

"This has all been a chess game—you simply haven't been looking far enough ahead. As things now stand, you have been depicted as a lazy and spoiled prince. One who would _not_ be involved in any alliance discussions. Which leaves you free to continue your pursuit of Haruhi without danger of exposure through _this_ front," Kyoya finished.

Silence reigned. At last, Tamaki let out a long breath. "Your reasoning makes perfect sense."

Kyoya resisted the smile that twitched at his lips. "Then I have performed my job as your advisor."

He offered a hand and helped Tamaki to stand.

"How long did it take you to figure all of that out?" Tamaki asked.

"I realized it shortly after you came around from your fainting spell."

Tamaki stared. "Yet you allowed me to wallow for…?"

"Three hours. And yes, I did."

The horrified response rang out, " _Why?"_

"I wished to see if you had developed any ability to separate your emotions from sense and think. I'm afraid I find myself sorely disappointed."

Tamaki flushed. "Uh, um…"

Kyoya offered a knowing smile. "The ability will come with practice. For now, let us discuss how we will handle any mention of these letters."

Though Tamaki remained flushed, he grinned and nodded.

#

"They've been in there for ages now," Hikaru muttered. He flung a ball against the opposite wall and caught it when it bounced back.

"You've been bouncing that ball for ages," Kaoru said. "Aren't you bored with it?"

"Nope." The ball thunked against the wall again.

Kaoru sighed and gave Mori and Honey a weary shrug.

Honey ventured a bit closer to Hikaru. "Um, Hika…is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." _Thunk_. Pause. "Why are you asking anyway?"

"It's just…" Honey frowned, obviously hunting for the right words. "You've been kind of…angry lately."

 _THUNK_. "What are you talking about?"

Honey flinched at the snarl in Hikaru's voice. "Well…"

"Just like that." Mori stepped in. "You've been snapping at everyone. You seem different. Bothered."

"That's just stu—" Hikaru cut himself short at the unimpressed gazes of his friends. Finally, he hung his head. "I dunno. Maybe I am annoyed."

"By what?" Kaoru asked.

"Just _stuff_."

"Like…?" Honey prompted.

"I don't know!" Hikaru exclaimed. "Just different things! Like milord today—how does he think he has a right to act like that?"

"He does have those moods," Mori said.

"Well you know what?" Hikaru jumped to his feet. "If he can't control them, then maybe his father is right! Maybe he is an unsuitable king!"

"Shhh!" The others hissed in an instant at Hikaru's raised voice. In the cacophony, they failed to hear a quiet gasp.

They all, however, heard footsteps hurrying away. Mori sprang up and sprinted toward the source of the noise. He stopped at the corner, then turned back mechanically.

"I saw someone disappear around the next corner."

The color drained from the others' faces.

"Someone knows," Kaoru breathed.

#

A king! Of all the things Mei had expected to learn while eavesdropping on the troupe—there was a _king_ visiting Alsance!

She hurried down the corridors, putting as much distance between herself and the acting troupe as possible. Once a safe distance away, she stopped and slumped against the nearest wall to catch her breath.

The new development rattled in her mind. A king. Tamaki was king of Alsance. That would make him King Yuzuru's son. But then there was the letter—why did King Yuzuru lie? And how on earth could _Tamaki_ be a king? He did seem to lead fairly well, but ruling an entire country? It was almost too preposterous to consider.

Maybe she had misheard. She ran the troupe's conversation over again in her mind. No, she couldn't have. Nothing could have been misinterpreted. Tamaki had to be the one Hikaru had been referring to. In that case, why had the king come to Ichio under the guise of a jester? Unless…

Unless it had been to woo a certain princess turning all royal suitors away. Mei's hands balled into fists.

She had to tell Haruhi.

Shoulders stiff, Mei pushed away from the wall and marched down the hall. She turned the corner to an unlit corridor lined with windows on one side. Yet abruptly, the half-light from the rainstorm darkened, plunging the hall into blackness.

"My lady…" A voice whispered, seemingly from nowhere.

Mei whirled about. "What the—who's there?"

Two hooded figures emerged from the shadows of the corridor. "Calm yourself, my lady," one said.

"Calm down? Yeah right! Who _are_ you?"

"Oh. Our hoods." The second figure's voice was definitely female.

The figures removed their hoods together. Mei let out a sigh of relief as she saw their faces. "Your Grace. Reiko. You both scared me to death."

"Our apologies." Nekozawa bowed his head.

"What do you need?"

"We simply wished to speak to you about a rather important matter," Reiko said.

"Which is…?"

"We believe you have discovered a rather…sensitive bit of information about our visiting acting troupe," Reiko continued.

Mei's blood froze. How did they know that? "I don't know what you're talking about."

"We know that you have heard the truth of Tamaki's identity," Nekozawa said.

Pieces suddenly fell into place. The way they both spoke… "Wait a second—are you two saying that you knew he was a king before now?"

Reiko and Nekozawa cringed. "Lower your voice, my lady."

Mei could only gape. "This is insane! How did you both know?"

"I am the one who instructed Majesty to come here," Reiko stated. "I then sent word to Nekozawa."

"So you've betrayed _your court_ and have been helping him all this time?" Mei growled to the duke.

Nekozawa held up his hands. "No! I received news of his arrival and set about finding out more about him and his companions while protecting the princess should these visitors be less than truthful. However, the more information I sought, the more I realized that their intentions seemed sincere. When Reiko arrived, she confirmed that His Majesty only wished to have a chance to get to know Her Highness and potentially court her. I have seen nothing contrary to that assumption."

"So you've been lying to Haruhi all this time."

"Rather I have contented myself with staying on the sidelines until Her Highness decides how she feels. I will not influence her decision," Nekozawa said.

Mei crossed her arms. "Yeah, likely story."

"My lady, you have known me for your entire life. Do you believe that I would betray Her Highness?" Nekozawa asked.

Well… "I guess not."

"Thus do you think Her Highness would be happy ruling alone for the rest of her life or do you think she might prefer to have someone ruling beside her? And by that, I mean a beloved equal—not some despotic tyrant," Nekozawa continued.

Shifting in her place, Mei admitted, "I don't know. I don't think she would be happy alone, but I can't speak for her."

"Neither can I," Nekozawa said. "But she does not often give others chances to know her so that they might step into that role."

She couldn't exactly argue with that. "Okay, fine, she doesn't give people chances. But it doesn't change that Tamaki and the others are lying to her."

"Then do you believe in your heart that they have malicious designs upon her?" Reiko swooped in.

Mei hesitated. Everything she had seen so far argued against it. Tamaki truly seemed to care about her. The other troupe members did too. "I…I'm not sure, but I don't think they do."

"Which is the case. I would not serve one who did not deserve my aid," Reiko said. "So I must beg you—say nothing to Her Highness. Forgive this one deception and allow things to play out how they will. His Majesty will not conceal his identity from her forever. All omissions will be corrected. When Her Highness makes a final decision, she will do so with the truth laid bare at her feet."

Mei passed a hand over her face. She _did not_ like this at all. But she couldn't argue with the points Nekozawa and Reiko had made either. "All right. Fine. I'll go along with it _for now_. But if I so much as get a _hint_ that Tamaki is trying something funny or is going to hurt her, I'm telling her."

"If that is the case, I urge you to do so and bring me before King Ryoji on charges of treason," Nekozawa declared.

So he was certain enough to stake his reputation on it. That made her feel a bit better. She'd keep her eyes and ears open from here on. "All right, deal."

Mei offered her hand—Nekozawa accepted it. And so the suspicious lady-in-waiting struck a deal with the dark duke.

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _"You could have been hurt!" Tamaki exclaimed._

 _"But I wasn't-it was fine! Why are you so upset?" Haruhi demanded._

 _"Because-" Tamaki stopped mid-sentence._

Oh dear. Where could this argument be leading? And what could be the cause? Check back in two weeks to find out!


	87. Chapter 86: The Near Accident

UPDATE MAY 30th:

Hi everyone,

So I just started a second job (which I'm very excited about) and received client referrals much earlier than expected. As such, I've been very busy with prep work for all of that and have not had much time to work on the new chapter. I'll need to push the update back one week to **June 6th**. Hopefully, once all of the setup work is done with the new job, I'll be back on the two-week schedule. If the schedule needs to be altered (worst case scenario, I believe it will be three weeks between chapters), I'll let all of you know.

Thanks for your patience!  
-M3

* * *

Hi everyone!

Hope you've been doing well. Review responses are up first!

 **Guest:** Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying Tamaki and Haruhi's relationship so far!

Again, updates are going to be every two weeks, so the next will be... **May 30th!**

Onto the next chapter-in which an accident nearly occurs!

* * *

Electric jolts shot up Haruhi's arm as metal clanged against metal. She clung to her blade, but the weight was almost too much to bear. She disengaged from her opponent and sprang back. The tip of her blade dropped to the ground. She leaned against it, gasping for breath. She couldn't hold it up.

The black knight circled her, each movement efficient and at ease. Like it was taunting her. But it made no move to attack her. No move to end the battle.

The banner of Ichio snapped in the wind behind her. She tightened her grip on her blade. With a snarl, she threw herself forward. She would win this fight. For Ichio.

The knight backed away at her flurry of attacks. A sudden disengage of the blades pitted Haruhi's forward momentum against her. She fell to her knees. Here, she braced. The knight's blade would come down and—

"Haruhi!" The echo called for her.

The ending blow never came. Instead, Haruhi found herself surrounded by a rain of red and white rose petals.

"What…?" Haruhi snapped up to see that the black knight's sword was gone. And the knight had been trapped in a cage of rose bushes, all blooming red and white.

She rose to her feet just as the sound of horse hooves thundered out. A white knight on a golden stallion galloped up to the battlefield. It circled the black knight once, then nodded. At last, the white knight stopped next to her and offered a hand as if to help her mount the horse. She blinked, then looked to the shield the white knight held.

It bore a emblem depicting a unicorn, an oak and a fleur-de-lis.

The royal crest of Alsance.

Haruhi awoke from her dream far less deeply disturbed than usual. Yet profound confusion overrode all other emotions. She scrunched her eyes shut, trying to commit as much of the dream to memory as possible. Under her breath, she repeated, "The black knight imprisoned in white and red roses, the white knight offering aid, the white knight bearing the royal crest of Alsance."

When she felt no important details would slip away, she opened her eyes and began to ready herself for the day. Yet another performance was expected of Haruki, so she changed into her commoner's clothes. Though her body went through the motions, her mind was elsewhere—mulling over the meaning of the dream.

Mei popped into the princess's chambers with tea just as Haruhi finished tucking her hair into her cap. Haruhi considered telling Mei about the dream. While the lady-in-waiting did not place much stock in mystical signs and portents, she politely joined in as her friends among the court attempted to read tea leaves and divine truth from packs of cards. Surely some of that knowledge might have rubbed off on her.

"Mei, how much do you know about the meanings of dreams?" Haruhi asked.

Mei shrugged. "Enough. Sumire and Momoka are always chatting about that kind of thing."

"Do you think you can help me interpret a dream?"

"I can try."

So Haruhi related her history of the dreams about the black knight and the newest change in the tale.

"And the white knight offered a hand up. When I looked at the knight's shield, it bore the Alsancean royal crest."

Mei spluttered on a mouthful of tea. She held up a hand to indicate she was all right as Haruhi looked on in concern. Once the choking fit passed, Mei offered a weak smile. "Sorry—the tea went down the wrong way. So the knight that was obviously helping you had a shield with Alsance's royal crest?"

"Yes."

Mei put her tea aside and folded her hands in her lap, gaze turning pensive. "Well, we haven't had very many dealings with Alsance as a country, have we?"

"No. But Mom had suggested an alliance years ago. King Yuzuru spoke a bit about it in his letter."

"Is King Yuzuru still open to an alliance now?"

"He…alluded to it," Haruhi conceded. "But it seemed as if he might have reservations about it."

"Then that's your answer!" Mei exclaimed. "Obviously it's an indicator that Yuzuru _does_ want to go through with an alliance. Otherwise, why would the knight have offered to help you?"

"That's true."

"I would take it as a good sign. Write back to King Yuzuru immediately, talk about an alliance properly."

Haruhi bit her lip. "I suppose I should, but we danced about the topic in our last letters. It's going to require easing into the discussions…"

"Then ease into it. But you have to start somewhere and start soon."

At last, Haruhi nodded. "You're right. I'll write the response tonight. But for now…" She stood and straightened her cap. "I have a performance to attend."

So Haruhi slipped out of the castle and set off through the streets of Shikanai. The hustle and bustle of the busy city was as nothing compared to the myriad of responses to King Yuzuru buzzing about in her mind.

 _"_ _If you are still open to it-" No, that sounds too meek. "I wish to craft an alliance—" No, that sounds too much like a demand. And it's too formal. Yuzuru's letters were light, casual. Which, since he knew Dad already and met me as a child, would make sense. I should return his attitude in kind. Perhaps I should mention something about wanting to continue the alliance process that Mom suggest—_

The shriek of a horse yanked her from her thoughts. She shrank back as the sturdy wagon horse reared up. The horse's hooves dropped towards her—

"Haru—!"

The beginning of the cry was all she caught before someone slammed into her. She skidded onto the cobblestones, sliding away from the horse just as the massive hooves crashed down.

Dazed, she stared up at her savior.

Tamaki's expression was frantic. "Are you all right? Did that fall hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm fine."

Relief washed over his face. He disentangled himself from her and helped her to her feet. "What where you thinking—walking out into a busy intersection without looking!"

Haruhi finally took in her surroundings. This was one of the busier intersections on the way to the market. She had bumbled out without so much as a glance.

"I was just—"

The wagon's driver vaulted down and hurried over. "Are either of you hurt? You scared my soul straight out of me, young man!"

"Thank you, sir—we're both fine," Tamaki said.

The wagon driver's eyes widened. "Oh heaven help me—I've just nearly run over Haruki Fujimoto and Tamaki Sato! What a disaster it would have been to injure such talent!"

That cry doubled the crowd of onlookers that hurried into the intersection. The other troupe members finally squeezed between the press of bodies and to Haruhi and Tamaki. Together, they allayed the fears of their fans before hurrying Haruhi away to a less public spot. On the rapid walk back to the troupe's wagon, Haruhi answered a few questions from Honey and Kaoru. Though Tamaki said nothing more, there was a distinct tightness to the set of his jaw.

Once the troupe made it to the wagon, Tamaki whirled about to face her. "Why did you do that?"

"I don't know—I was just distracted," Haruhi confessed.

"Distracted? Distracted enough that you nearly get crushed by a wagon horse? What could be that absorbing?"

Haruhi rocked back at the anger in his voice. "Look, I've just had a lot to think about—"

He took a step toward her now. "You could have been hurt!"

She straightened to her full height. He was being ridiculous now. "But I wasn't-it was fine! Why are you so upset?"

"Because-" Tamaki stopped mid-sentence. Then, he took a deep breath and continued on in a quieter voice. "As princess, you have a responsibility to your court. To your people. To your country. If you are injured, or heaven forbid, worse—they are _all_ in jeopardy."

Oh, he thought he could lecture _her_ on that? "You think I don't know that?"

"You certainly don't act like it at times."

"You have no right to judge me there! You don't know _anything_ about that. It was a stupid accident anyway—"

"Accident or not, the outcome would have been the same!"

"Hey, milord!" Hikaru pushed his way in-between the two. "Lay off of her. She said it was an accident. You're acting like she was careless on purpose."

"She needs to be more aware! What if it wasn't a horse drawn cart this time? What if someone had attempted to harm her? Or kidnap her? If she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings—" Tamaki countered.

"She's been fine up until now," Hikaru snapped.

"What about the day with the Lobelia Troupe? Benibara would have never intervened if Haruhi hadn't slipped. And there was the day she fell through our backdrop."

"So what, she's accident prone." Hikaru waved a hand dismissively.

"She needs to be more careful." Tamaki persisted.

"Well, I don't think she needs you trying to act like her father and lecture her!"

The color drained from Tamaki's face. "I am not lecturing her—"

"That's exactly what it sounds like," Hikaru growled.

Tamaki opened his mouth to respond, then shook his head. "In any case, she owes the troupe an apology."

" _What_?" Haruhi exclaimed. "Are you kidding? I didn't do anything wrong."

"Your mistake could have revealed your identity." Tamaki's voice had gone flat. "If your cap had come loose, everyone would have known. And we would have been ruined as a result."

Haruhi snorted. "I'm not apologizing for that. I made a mistake, but nothing went wrong."

Tamaki's brow furrowed as he frowned at her. "Very well. Until you promise that you will be more cautious, I won't be speaking to you."

Haruhi stared at him. Surely he wouldn't carry things this far—

Despite the stunned gazes of the rest of the troupe, Tamaki started for the wagon. "Come on, everyone—we have a performance to get ready for."

* * *

And the next chapter excerpt is...

 _"We have a new special visitor arriving soon!" Ranka exclaimed._

 _"Oh great," Haruhi muttered. "Hope it's not another suitor."_

 _"We will be hosting the daughter of a well-known tea merchant. Perhaps you've heard of the Kanoya family?"_

Who could this new visitor be? Check back in two weeks to find out!


	88. Chapter 87: Lady Megumi

Hi everyone!

Hope you've all been doing well!

 **Queen Rainbow:** Thank you!

 **CloudCarnivore:** I'm glad you enjoyed it so much! Thank you!

Now, unfortunately, I have an announcement about the schedule. With everything going on with work, life, etc., I'm no longer going to be able to keep this fic on a regular schedule. I _hope_ to publish one more scheduled chapter in about three to four weeks, but that will depend on my workload. I'm not sure whether the schedule change will be a true hiatus or simply updating as my time allows (the description will be changed to semi-hiatus for the benefit of potential new readers).

Without the regular update schedule, I can't predict how long it will take for me to finish this fic entirely. Due to this uncertainty, I am more than happy to provide some form of summary of the planned remaining chapters if requested.

I sincerely apologize for the change-hopefully I will be able to continue at semi-regular intervals until the fic is finished.

So without further ado, onto the next chapter-in which a new arrival comes to Ichio's castle.

* * *

"We're _doomed_. I tell you, _doomed_!"

Reiko watched in silence as Nekozawa paced the length of his chamber's parlor. At last, the Duke of Tokare groaned and flung himself into the nearest chair

"Our efforts—all in vain! All the subtle machinations, all the entrapments to prevent Yuko from meddling, the endless hours of watching from the shadows to ensure things ran smoothly—it all means nothing!" Nekozawa cried. He buried his face in his hands with a choked half-sob.

Reiko sighed. In recent weeks, she and the Duke had agreed to be the silent guardians of the young royals and their budding relationship. They had taken to hidden surveillance and any other magical tricks to prevent interference. Thus far, their techniques had succeeded. Nekozawa's spirits seemed to rise with each new triumph, hopes buoyed even more when Tamaki began courting Haruhi in earnest.

Which made the newest development a devastating blow.

"Nekozawa, we can't be certain our efforts have been wasted—" she started.

"Oh, truly?" Nekozawa threw his arms open wide. "They haven't spoken in nearly a week! An _entire_ week!"

This was true. Since their return from a performance in the city, Tamaki and Haruhi had hardly looked at each other, let alone spoken. "Yes, but—"

"Almost a _week_ , Reiko. Have you seen them apart for more than a day or so in the past?"

She bit her lip. "I suppose not…"

"Now, they won't even speak to each other!" Nekozawa slumped forward. "And things were going so well—I had such hopes! I can't imagine what could have happened between them. Nor could I ask without potentially compromising our position."

Nekozawa leaned his head against his knees, letting out a quiet whimper. "If we do not know what drove them apart, what can we do to bring them together?"

The Duke posed an excellent question. And Reiko wished she had the answer.

#

Haruhi would not be the first to break the silence between her and Tamaki.

No matter how many awkward questions she received from the court ladies, no matter how the other troupe members begged her to end the feud and no matter how Renge claimed she had run out of ideas for plays if _Arlecchino_ and _Columbina_ refused to speak to each other, Haruhi would not bend first.

"This is really ridiculous," Mei commented as they sat in the Spy's Courtyard on the fifth day of the feud. "Are you two going to avoid each other forever?"

Haruhi shrugged. "If Tamaki decides he wants to be civil, then he can talk to me. But I didn't do anything wrong and I'm not apologizing."

"Hear, hear." Hikaru sauntered over to the two, a light of mischief in his eyes. "Milord is being a fool about this fight."

"Thanks Hikaru. It's nice to have _someone_ agree with me," Haruhi said.

Mei sniffed and returned to her embroidery. "I don't think the others disagree with you. I think they just want you both to make up."

Hikaru rolled his eyes, making a comical grimace. "So, Haruhi, Kaoru and I were going to practice our acrobatics. Would you like to come watch and spot us?"

"Oh, yeah, of course," Haruhi said.

But no sooner had she stood up did a flurry of activity swirl through the courtyard. The seated court ladies sprang to their feet.

"Now, I won't have you all standing on ceremony." Ranka swept into the courtyard. "But, since you're standing, gather round—I have news!"

He stopped in the center of the courtyard, looked to Haruhi and motioned her over. She, Mei and Hikaru joined the crowd clustering around the queen.

Ranka raised his hands for silence and the babble of voices quieted. With a smile, he began, "Thank you. Now, you know I would ordinarily make an announcement like this in the throne room. But, I simply couldn't wait!"

Ranka paused, beaming expectantly at the faces surrounding him. "Well, would you all like to know?"

A chorus of agreement answered him.

"Excellent. We have a new special visitor arriving soon!" Ranka exclaimed.

"Oh great," Haruhi muttered under her breath. "Hope it's not another suitor."

They _had_ managed a suspiciously long period without interference from another royal seeking to court her.

Again, Ranka had to quiet the crowd. "We will be hosting the daughter of a well-known tea merchant. Perhaps you've heard of the Kanoya family?"

The group burst into excited murmurs.

"I thought you might have. The family's only daughter, Megumi, will be staying with us for a few weeks while her father is at sea. I trust that all of you will welcome her and treat her to your usual magnificent hospitality," Ranka declared.

"Absolutely, Majesty!" the court replied.

Ranka clapped his hands. "Good! Good! Now, she'll be here tomorrow and I would like to plan for her arrival."

The crowd huddled around their king, enthusiasm buzzing in the air. Haruhi exchanged a glance with Hikaru before joining in.

At least it wasn't a suitor.

#

"She looks _just_ like Highness!"

"I know—the resemblance is almost eerie!"

Comments from the court ladies fluttered about the Great Hall. Every eye in the court was trained on the new arrival.

Haruhi stood to one side of the hall with Kaoru, Hikaru, Honey and Mori, watching the scene. Frowning, Haruhi asked, "Do I really look that much like her? I didn't really see it when Dad introduced us."

Honey glanced between her and the other dark haired girl standing with Ranka. "Well, you two do look pretty similar—"

"Come on, Honey—beyond their hair color and style, they hardly look alike," Hikaru stated.

"Um, but their eye color is the same too," Honey said. "And they're the same height—"

"Their mannerisms are completely different," Kaoru cut in. "Watch how Megumi tilts her head—see? Haruhi would never do that."

Haruhi did have to admit that Kaoru was absolutely correct. But she couldn't help the sense that she was staring at her mirror image in Megumi. Albeit, a much more feminine, carefree mirror image.

Ranka and Megumi made the rounds about the Hall until Megumi had been introduced to every member of the court. The queen and the new arrival then returned to Haruhi and the troupe members.

"Well, Megumi, Haruhi and her friends will be more than willing to help entertain you while you're here," Ranka declared.

Megumi offered a bright smile. "Thank you, Majesty. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you."

"But there's two of you missing," Ranka said. "Where are Kyoya and Tamaki?"

Mori looked out over the crowd, then pointed. "There."

Surely enough, the troupe leader and the illusionist were edging through the crowd towards the rest of the troupe.

"Ah, Majesty!" Tamaki bowed when he reached them. "Apologies for our tardiness. Where is our visitor?"

Ranka flourished one hand in Megumi's direction. "Megumi, may I introduce Tamaki and Kyoya."

The color drained from Tamaki's face and his mouth dropped opened.

Ranka continued, "Tamaki is the leader of _Le Triomphe de la Comedie_ and Kyoya is the troupe's illusionist."

Megumi offered a wave. "It's wonderful to meet you both."

"Likewise, Lady Megumi," Kyoya replied.

Tamaki shook his head. "But I don't understand, if—"

He looked to Megumi, then glanced about. His gaze stopped on Haruhi. Comprehension seemed to dawn and a laugh burst from him. "Ah, Lady Megumi, please forgive me! At first glance, I assumed you were Her Highness."

Megumi giggled. "Everyone seems to think we look alike. And I can't imagine standing so close to His Majesty helped."

Hikaru's eyes narrowed. He muttered under his breath, "He can't be serious."

"So how did you come to lead an acting troupe?" Megumi asked.

"Ah, my lady, that is a complicated tale—" Tamaki began.

Kaoru and Hikaru slipped up to either side of Megumi. "One that, honestly, you wouldn't be interested in hearing," Kaoru said.

"Especially considering how long-winded milord can be," Hikaru added.

They linked arms with Megumi. "Come with us—we've been practicing our acrobatics routine—it'll be much more interesting to watch."

"I would love to watch," Megumi said, gently extricating her arms from the twins. "And Tamaki, you can tell me all about how you came to lead the troupe while we watch."

The twins' faces fell as glee lit Tamaki's face.

Tamaki clapped his hands. "Excellent compromise, my lady! May I escort you?"

Megumi took the arm Tamaki offered. "Of course."

The twins led the way out of the Great Hall, with Haruhi bringing up the rear of the troupe. Curious court members trailed behind them.

"Did Tamaki really think Megumi was Highness?" one court lady murmured.

"I don't know—the mistake seems quite unlike him," her friend replied. "But then again, I don't think he and Highness are getting along lately."

Haruhi quickened her pace until the conversation faded away.

#

Days after Megumi's arrival, Tamaki and Haruhi still hadn't spoken. By now, their mutual avoidance had become routine. But Haruhi couldn't help but notice that each time she saw Tamaki, Megumi hovered nearby. The other troupe members said the two had eaten lunch together. Supposedly, Megumi, who had taken to the kitchens on her first day, had prepared the meals. Even the court began to comment on how much time Tamaki spent with the new arrival.

Haruhi shrugged the news off. Tamaki had to speak to her eventually. They would reconcile and everyone could resume their usual routines. To her own surprise, she itched to return to performing in the city. But, Renge had refused to plan any more plays in the city until _Columbina_ and _Arlecchino_ could speak to each other again.

The break left Haruhi with a great deal of time on her hands—time that she usually spent in the library. She devoured any books available on etiquette, diplomacy and politics. After all, Ichio would never form alliances if she was unable to negotiate the agreements.

Yet today, her reading was interrupted by a single quiet call.

"Highness?"

Megumi stepped out from behind one of the library shelves.

Haruhi nodded with a smile. "Hi Megumi. What can I do for you?"

"I only need a few moments of your time. And perhaps some patience," Megumi said.

Haruhi set aside her book, trying not to raise an eyebrow at this strange request. "Sure, I can do that."

Megumi smiled and held up one finger. "Just one moment."

Then, she disappeared behind the shelves again. Haruhi strained and heard whispers. At last, two sets of footsteps rang out. Megumi returned…with Tamaki in tow.

At first, the troupe's leader didn't meet Haruhi's eye. He took a deep breath. Then, he spoke. "Highness, if I might have a bit of your time."

Haruhi blinked. After a week and a half, Tamaki had spoken to her. Too surprised to say anything, she simply nodded.

Tamaki shifted from side to side and glanced back to Megumi. When he turned back to Haruhi, he met her gaze. "Megumi has convinced me…to see your point of view. In doing so, I've realized that this feud between us is childish. Both of us had valid reasons for our reactions. But refusing to speak to each other is pointless. We should simply accept it and move on. It is, after all, simply one more difference between us."

"'One more difference?'" Haruhi echoed.

"Well, you never take sugar in your tea, I take several lumps. Your favorite season is autumn, mine is summer. Small differences. And our argument was simply one more small difference." Tamaki smiled, but something about it seemed strained.

"Oh, um, I see," Haruhi said.

"Then we can put this feuding behind us?"

Well, she hadn't been the one to start the silent argument and saw no reason to continue it. "Yeah, of course—if that's what you want."

The strain melted from Tamaki's smile. His face eased and lit. "Excellent. I apologize for allowing things to continue this long. I suppose I simply needed a bit of outside perspective."

At that, he grinned at Megumi, who responded with an equally brilliant smile. A tightness wound about Haruhi's chest as she watched the exchange. How had Megumi managed to discuss such a personal topic with Tamaki so soon after meeting him?

Tamaki looked back to her. "In any case, Highness, I'm glad we can be friends again."

The tight feeling increased, but Haruhi smiled. "Me too."

"I'm sure we will see each other in the throne room this evening," Tamaki said.

"Ri-right," Haruhi said.

"We'll let you get back to your work," Megumi said.

At Haruhi's mechanical nod, Tamaki offered his arm to Megumi. She took it and leaned her head against his shoulder as the two walked away.

Haruhi watched them go. And a hollowness settled in her chest.

* * *

Due to the schedule change, there will not be a preview of the next chapter. Thank you for reading!


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